Blood Brothers
by IgnisKnight
Summary: What if Izuku Midoriya, the successor of the legendary quirk One for All had an older brother? Watch as I try to make a story based off of this idea, and hope it goes well. Tough decisions and regrets are unavoidable in a world of heroes and villains, though at least Izuku won't have to walk the road alone... but it wouldn't be a good story without something happening now would it?
1. The beginning

**Author's Note:**

 **Hey guys, this will be the first ever fanfiction that I have published on here so any reviews and criticisms will be greatly appreciated and will be used for the development of this story.**

 **So just to clear this out of the way, the main character in this story, (Izuku's brother) Iwaizumi will be often referred to as Izumi (so it kind of relates to Izuku's name) and there will be a few main pairings but most of the usual ones will be mentioned or possibly developed later on in the story.**

 **Just to note, for any newcomers, first of all Welcome!**

 **Second of all, I am currently in the middle of rewriting the earlier chapters of the story, so I apologize if some parts seem inconsistent in terms of writing or possibly even plot points (or at least I think that I had covered most of them...)**

 **But yeah,** **I hope you guys enjoy "Blood Brothers" and I look forward to seeing what this story will become.**

* * *

 **Entrance Exam - Battle Center B**

The rapid footsteps of Izuku Midoriya were heard across the wasteland of robotic corpses and scraps. The putrid and pungent smell of burnt oil hung heavily in the air as the black fumes of smoke clouded his narrowed vision as he squinted his eyes in a vain attempt to see what was in front of him, only to find the same sight reminding him of the heavy pressure that weighed on his body and mind.

His breathing was ragged and heavy, his legs burned with a flaring pain that screamed for him to stop...

But he couldn't, not now...

He had applied for the world's number one, prestigious hero academy course on the globe. Rated highly for their efficient and effective training methods and are responsible for creating the best heroes the world has ever seen.

The primary objective of this entrance exam was to test the reflexes, abilities as well as their creative and strategic capabilities by eliminating automated enemies that award their victor with their designated point value given by their degree of hazardous potential. Stacking points together by eliminating as many enemies they could get their hands on and round up as many points to the best of their abilities to surpass their peers will allow them entry into the gates of Yuuei.

But right now, Izuku Midoriya was failing... hard.

The green haired boy's resolved diminished and expression fell deeper into the pit of desperation and failure every time he saw another worthless scrapped robot, the uninhabited metal skyscrapers loomed a shadow over the boy's frantic dilemma as he had no way of passing if everyone else took his chances away from him. He couldn't fail, not after everything he had worked hard for... It couldn't all have been for naught... had it?

He shook that thought out of his head, now wasn't the time to doubt himself now, All Might was counting on him, his mother was counting on him... _he_ was counting on him.

But what can I do?

...

Izuku searched and searched through every nook and cranny, dashed after every sound he could detect. He investigated any alleyways and combed through the streets, corner after corner after corner. There was nothing left for him...

Anguished tears forcefully fell down his cheeks but he abruptly pushed them away.

It wasn't over yet.

Not yet...

An automated whirring noise emerged from behind him, the sparks of electricity and scraping of plated armor were like music to his ears. He turned around at neck-breaking speeds as his eyes widened with joy upon finding a perfect condition 2-point robot. It was time to prove himself...

"uh..."

The robot lunged at the poor timid boy as he could only duck out of the way of its devastating swing, inches from his hair as the sound it caused sent chills down his spine. How exactly was he supposed to beat this robot?

How was he supposed to beat any robot?

He clearly hadn't thought it through despite his ready and strategic nature. Was it because he could only wrap his mind around All Might that he was distracted from a large and bold fact that was so simple yet was such an imposing obstacle to his future.

"Damn it..." He muttered as he ducked through its barrage of jabs, thrusts, and swings, there weren't any rhythmic patterns that he could pick up on, it's devised combat algorithm appeared to be purely based on reaction and retaliation, that wasn't good for him...

He scanned his immediate surroundings, he needed a weapon, fast.

His mind pulsed with a rush of adrenaline as his emerald green eyes finally set his sights upon a torn plated appendage from what was presumably the remains of another robot. Izuku quickly grabbed a cracked fragment of debris before launching it straight and true towards the machine's glowing retinal sphere. Dashing over to the discarded shield, he successfully retrieved it as he coiled the rubber wire to his wrist as a form of connecting his wrist to the plate as a new limb of sorts.

Now, he was ready... maybe...

The cracked visage of the automated machine whirred and glowed a menacing red, the machine's body twisted and turned towards his position before sprinting forward at a rapid pace, catching Izuku off guard.

Game over...

But apparently, fate had more in store for him as the ground shook violently, the fierce tremor quaked throughout the Battle Center eliciting cries of shock and fear erupted throughout the city. Was this an earthquake?... or was it planned?

A chance arose in front of him as the sudden tremor tipped his opponent off balance. Quickly regaining his own, he immediately thrust his shield into the machine's peripheral, causing it to explode from its destruction. He gasped in shock of his sudden surge of determination and power, his body felt enlightened as energy flowed through him.

Was this the power of One for All?

Though he wasn't given time to ponder the sudden revelation, a giant body of darkness loomed over the entirety of the city zone, blocking the view of the sun with its colossal character. Eight luminescent balls of crimson red illuminated from the shadow as it cast it's malicious gaze across the battlefield, searching for the nearest prey around.

 _"REMEMBER KIDDOS, THE 0-POINT ROBOT IS NOT WORTH ANY VALUE TO YOUR SCORE SO TRY TO AVOID IT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE!"_ The loud blond teacher's words rang in his ear as it's features surged a sudden realization of familiarity.

Its metal joints screeched loudly as remnants of dirt fell from its various joints and plates. A familiar shade of green came into view as it approached his position, Izuku was rooted to the ground in fear and dread.

He couldn't fight that thing, could he?

Izuku dropped his shield onto the ground, rendering the plate motionless beside him, he laughed almost madly with a hint of resignation as he could only watch as it drew nearer.

This was it...

Or at least, he thought so until a familiar cry of help rang in his ears.

* * *

 **Judge Panel - Yuuei**

The room became quiet with a heavy and dreadful suspense as the scene before them piqued the curiosity of the teachers of Yuuei. Many of the third year students of class 3-A had also been invited to monitor the situation of the freshmen that would soon be welcomed into the distinguished and esteemed halls of Yuuei Academy. The scene before them was what they expected, many of the participants had run away in fear or had just given up as they were either rooted to the floor and remained unmoving or had collapsed onto the ground as they cried out for their mothers, honestly, most of the third year students couldn't blame them, it would be a most terrifying sight to see a colossal monstrosity loom over you with a sense of impending doom and demise, though of course, they wouldn't allow any killings on their grounds.

One green and black haired student, in particular, had paid special attention to a certain screen which contained the view of a familiar mop of green hair. Their clasped hands tapped the table before them in anticipation and nervousness. Warm amber eyes gazed at the screen intently as their breathing hitched upon seeing Izuku's sudden inhuman leap. The ground below Izuku had burst into a small crater as his jump had left a faint red glow to his afterimage. The boy's figure twisted dramatically as he winded back his arm for a large swing towards the 0-point robot's face.

The footage shown of Izuku appeared to be taken on a surveillance drone as it made an attempt to zoom in closer to the scene that was about to unfold in front of them. His image had been broadcasted to every other monitor in the room as everyone held their breaths in apprehension.

"What is he doing?" A girl with crimson red hair tied in a ponytail whispered. Another student with messy purple and black hair looked at her with slanted yellow irises replied the obvious with a slight hint of annoyance, "He's going to punch the robot..." The pale skinned girl laughed at his straight-forward comment before patting him on the back lightly, "Murasaki san, you need to lighten up!" He looked at her apathetically before shrugging lightly. "Whatever..." A few rounds of chuckles bounced around the room as even a quiet girl with shining blue eyes and sharp canines revealed a small smile as she returned her sights upon the monitors, another girl with pale grey skin beside her did the same. The green and black haired boy didn't pay them any particular mind at the moment, right now, he was curious as well as concerned as to what Izuku would do next. Curious footsteps approached him, he had to peel his eyes away from the monitor to determine who it was that had approached him.

"Ah, Izumi, that's your little brother isn't it?" A pale girl with long light blue hair walked up to him as she curiously pointed towards Izuku's figure on the monitor. He nodded quickly in affirmation before returning his attention to Izuku, "Yeah... it is..."

Two more students walked up to the boy's side. One was a tall male with a lean and muscular physique, his blond hair lifted upwards into the fashion of a cowlick resembling the character Tintin, his expression held excitement and interest upon watching the freckled boy leap up to the 0-point's level as his arms conveyed his support and cheer for the boy's success even if he couldn't see it. Another male student with long midnight black hair stood next to or rather behind the first male as he appeared to have a timid and generally awkward presence, though his onyx black eyes revealed his peaked curiosity as he also found the monitor with Izuku's attack rather compelling.

"This is going to be exciting, I wonder if he's really going to punch the robot?!" The blond male exclaimed intrigued before promptly turning to the student behind him. "What do you think, Tamaki?" The student in question looked at him with nervous eyes as they shifted around the room in hopes of reaching towards a suitable answer but ultimately just shrugged before replying, "Um, probably? Though I'm not sure that's a good ide-" An intense chain of explosions boomed through the speakers as the surveillance drone tumbled through the turbulence. Many of the third years stood up in shock and surprise as their eyes widened with their mouths agape.

He really did it!

The drone was able to stabilize its flight pattern before zooming on the 0-point robot's demise. Falling backward in defeat, it's reinforced metal plating and intricate circuits exploded continuously and erupted with clouds of smoke and fire as the successive bursts of sparks traveled their way down to the earth of the ground, the red glow of its ruby orbs diminished lifelessly as it fell to the ground defeated. A collective gasp echoed throughout the room as the camera of the drone panned over to Izuku's fall. Izuku's dominant arm, the one which he used to overwhelm the defenses of the robot's face, dangled helplessly in the air and bent in unnatural angles as his legs followed in similar suit. The color of his bruised and purple skin sent shivers down Izumi's spine as he felt a sudden urge to burst out of the room in a vain attempt to reach the area and catch him.

But they were simply too far out...

Izuku was in freefall as he was helplessly flailing in the air, Izumi could see the fear in his emerald green eyes and it pained him that he couldn't do anything to help. Of course, it was a hero's duty to save citizens from situations like these so there must be a hero stationed nearby... right? He continued to fall, there was no evidence of any pro heroes coming in to save Izuku from his fall, he couldn't help but feel a little bit fearful for Izuku's safety. All he could do was pray that someone would be able to save him in time. Even with that incredible power that he had, Izumi doubted that Izuku would be able to survive a two hundred meter drop with those _likely_ broken legs.

His prayers were answered.

The resounding sound of a hard slap filled the room as a familiar mop of chocolate brown hair came into view. Ochako Uraraka had come in flying on what appears to be the remnants of a scrapped robot to save the day like an angel from the heavens. Izuku gasped in surprise as he suddenly found that his momentum had stopped as he was hovering in the air, saving him from a nasty fall. A round of applause chorused around the room as many cheered in amazement, even if the star of the show couldn't hear it as she spilled out her breakfast onto the side of the scrap of steel she used to fly over to Izuku.

Izumi breathed a sigh of relief as his friends shook him with exuberance, the bluenette squealed in delight as she wrapped her arms around Izumi's neck tightly, nuzzling her cheeks against his own. The show of affection would have been enjoyable for the green and black haired student if not for his face turning purple by the second.

"N-Nejire... Need... Air..." She squeaked in realization before hopping off him, before laughing heartily. Izumi rubbed his neck painfully but laughed along with her.

He was glad that Izuku was okay... well, 'okay' would probably be an overstatement seeing as his arms and legs were still busted and he was probably experiencing hell right now but he knew that the local school nurse was likely making her way there already.

"Midoriya." A nearby voice called out nonchalantly.

The black and green haired student turned his head towards the voice's source, upon doing so found a lanky silver-haired man walking up to him. Izumi smiled before nodding his head in greeting, "Masamune Sensei." The man returned the smile before pulling out a scrunched slip of paper and handing it to him, "Yep. Here, take this." Iwaizumi hesitantly took the slip and read over it. Looking up, he rolled his eyes as nothing was written on the small slip of paper. Of all the years that he had known him, the man did like to play his little subtle pranks now and then but he always did crack a small smile at his little jokes. It was a mystery how he still kept his job though they all had to admit that he was a rather good teacher when he actually felt like it. The man chuckled before plopping onto his desk as he handed him another piece of paper which actually had a piece of writing this time. Iwaizumi looked at the man questioningly as he read the main contents of its value, the man simply shrugged his shoulders lazily.

"It's a school pass, All Might over there told me that it'd be wise to go get your brother home." He answered tossing his thumb in the direction of the muscular man who in turn gave him a thumbs up in confirmation. He nodded in thanks before turning to the three behind him. Though they weren't the best in their studies, the three were known as the top students of Yuuei in terms of their potential as heroes. They were the cream of the crop of Yuuei, their quirks and reflexes, their creativity and heroic sense of duty is greatly commended, though that doesn't mean that there aren't any just as competent students within the prestigious school.

"Aww, then you won't be able to stay?" Nejire pouted cutely in a teasing manner, Izumi chuckled before patting her soft blue hair lightly making the affable and cheery girl to giggle in response. "I'm afraid not, Izuku probably needs me and my mom would probably be worried sick..." Izumi felt a strong hand placed onto his shoulder as the cowlick blond gave him a reassuring grin, as well as a dramatical thumbs up. His simple yet enthused expression had always put a smile on his face.

"Don't worry Izumi, we'll be able to handle monitoring the entrance exams just fine! It's not like we're really doing anything..." He sighed admittingly before taking in a deep breath as his bright smile returned. "But let us know how he's feeling afterward, okay?"

The amber-eyed student nodded appreciatively at his supportive attitude. "Thank you, Togata, I'll be sure to send an update in our group chat later." Seemingly satisfied, Togata nodded in affirmation as he returned his hand to his side.

Waving to everyone, Izumi took his leave. Togata sent a wave of farewell his way while Tamaki sent his regard in his own way, which consisted of a small wave and a smile. Walking up to the metal door, a red sensor briefly scanned Izumi before flashing an approving green light as the doors opened up. As he stepped foot outside the automatic gateway, he turned back halfway to find himself locked gazing at a certain bluenette who stood there with a warm smile on her face. He smiled back, "I'll see you soon, okay?" She nodded back silently as the doors closed shut behind him, cutting any traces of the green and black haired student loose.

"I'll see you then..."

* * *

Ochako Uraraka was sat on her comfy couch in her residential apartment. She lazily stared at the clear blue sky through the glass panes located at the edge of the room which led to a small balcony on the other side.

She was... well, she wasn't sure how to describe this feeling that she was currently experiencing.

Earlier that day, she had gone to visit Yuuei to negotiate to transfer some of her points to that normal looking freckled boy. He had saved her from being crushed under that monstrosity's foot and his initial leap had blasted some of the rubble off of her foot to at least enable her to actually move again, so she had to repay him in some kind of way as her mother and father had always said that _a good deed can brighten a dark world_ , that quote was one of her favourites. Though much to her surprise, she had found out that the two had both passed without the need to transfer any of her points. _Rescue Points_ as they called it, was earned by performing the number one priority of being a hero, saving people from harm. She was even more overjoyed to hear that they had been able to rank within the top 10 of all the participants of the entrance exam. Hopefully, she'd be able to see him at school, maybe they could even be in the same classroom? The thought excited the rosy-cheeked brunette, hopefully, they would be able to be friends. She was intrigued by the boy's overwhelmingly powerful quirk, as well as the major drawback to his powers. She shuddered at the image of his bruised purple skin, the blood leaking off his fists. She had imagined that the plain looking boy must have gone through an excruciating amount of pain, hopefully, he was okay...

She couldn't help but feel kind of pathetic... Back then, during the entrance exam, she was careless enough to be caught off guard by an avalanche of rubble and debris falling from the sky. She stood there in place as it fell on top of her, it was a miracle and an odd coincidence that only her leg was trapped under the mountain of stone. She was lucky that the plain looking boy was able to save her by blasting away the rubble as well as the offending robot with a mighty blow. It was even luckier of her that she had even saved him, earning her those rescue points needed to pass... without them and him, she would have surely failed. And the thing was that she didn't know what she would have done if he wasn't there... It only proved that she wasn't strong enough on her own...

An unexpected knock from her front door shook Uraraka out of her thoughts as she sat upright, surprised that there was someone at her door late in the afternoon...

... But who could it be?

A few seconds passed before the knock came again, the brunette realizes that she was just sitting there contemplating who it was without even opening the door. She facepalmed in embarrassment, "Great... Now they'll think that I'm lazy..." She muttered before dragging her feet onto the carpeted ground. Walking over to the fine wooden door, she peered through the frame's aperture to take a peek at who was on the other side of the door.

She was surprised to find a young green and black haired boy with electric orange eyes who appeared to be at least a year or two older than her waiting patiently outside, his gaze shifted comfortably to the side as he observed his surroundings.

 _He looks oddly familiar..._

"At least it's not the landlord..." She joked under her breath before sneaking in another peek. "He looks friendly enough..."

She opened the door gently as she peered around the corner, alerting the boy of her presence.

The boy smiled upon seeing her, "Ah, hello, you must be Uraraka-san, correct?" She smiled back awkwardly before nodding in affirmation, "Yeah, that's me." His smile grew before they stood in an uncomfortable silence. Neither of them said a thing as they just awkwardly smiled.

"Soooooooo... Was there something you needed... sir?" He chuckled at the honorific. "Heheh, well I suppose you could say that..." He suddenly bent over in a deep bow as Uraraka reeled back in surprise. "Wha-"

"I wanted to thank you for saving my brother." Uraraka froze upon hearing this. _'His brother?...'_

"Ah, you're that green haired boy's brother, aren't you?" He stood straight before nodding in response to her question, "Mhm." She rubbed the back of her head sheepishly, she wasn't used to this type of praise. She was always one to just blend into the class without anyone noticing but she had always strived to work hard... but now that someone is actually thanking her for what she had done, she didn't know how to respond.

"U-uh, I appreciate the sentiment but I just did what anyone else would do in that situation..."

Putting his hands on his hips, the amber-eyed boy shook his head before smiling empathetically. "I was watching the whole thing, Uraraka-san, my entire class did. What you did was the act of a hero ... and I'm glad the two of you made it." Her eyes widened in shock, they watched everything? Surely they could see that she was only acting out of fear. Fear that she would be responsible for the death of someone who had put their life at risk to save her.

"But a hero is someone who acts bravely, I'm just an ordinary girl with only the desire to help my parents... I'm not brave like he was, I'm... just me..." She averted her gaze from him, feeling guilty that she had stolen the title from someone who deserved it, like that kid who saved her in the first place. She didn't know why she wanted to keep going on, was there a reason that she didn't feel worthy of being called one? This was one of the first steps in her journey but why can't she take it?

"A hero is no braver than an ordinary person." She looked up at him to meet his warm gaze as he gently placed a firm but reassuring hand on her shoulder. "But they are only braver for a few minutes longer." She looked at him curiously as he chuckled, returning his hand to his side. "That was a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson that my father would always like to use, it always had a great effect on me when I felt the same way you do Uraraka-san... but believe me when I say that I think that you have the qualities to become a great hero."

She was bewildered by his small lecture but she was grateful for it nonetheless. She nodded appreciatively.

"Thank you." He smiled again before turning away as he waved to the brunette.

"Well, I'll hope to see you at school, Uraraka-san, and congratulations."

"Mm!" She hummed in agreement before turning her own way back into her comfortable abode, though this time, she felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

* * *

 **Midoriya Apartment**

The door closed behind Izumi as he removed his footwear onto the mat that separated the insides of the house from the germs of the outside world. He supposed that it was a basic habit that most Japanese followed so it wasn't something he really questioned. Their kind were known to be germophobes and he wasn't much different either but he supposed that work can get dirty but hey, what can you do? Setting foot onto the fine wooden floor, he shouted.

"Mom, brother, I'm home!" Shuffling was heard in the room next to him as a small chubby woman wearing a white apron and a pink sweater peeked out from the corner, a pan and spatula in her hands. Her emerald green eyes shone upon seeing the boy as she immediately but carefully placed the pan aside and hurried over to the taller boy. "Ah, welcome home, sweetie." She greeted, enveloping Izumi with a large but gentle bear hug. He chuckled before returning the gesture with one of his own.

The two held on for a moment's worth of time before taking a step back, a large and bright smile on the shorter woman's face. "So, how was your day Iwaizumi?" She inquired happily. He smiled warmly, a sight that never failed to cheer the woman up.

"It was great mom, we were able to ..." The two continued to talk as they made their way over to the kitchen. As they began to prepare dinner for the three of them, Izumi put on his favored apron. It was simple in design as it was snowy white with a golden imprinted design of clouds and waves. He wasn't sure why he liked it so much, though he did find the design rather pretty to look at.

The tall green and black haired student turned towards his mother as he flipped some fried rice on his rounded wok. "So, how's Izuku? He asked curiously, Inko's eyes widened slightly as she tentatively turned to look at the frame of the corridor that lead to their different rooms. Returning her gaze to the slab of pork in front of her, she sighed. "He's sleeping right now, though he's been like that for the whole day... I'm sure you saw how distant he looked yesterday." She sighed once more. "I'm worried... did something happen, Izumi?" He looked at her sympathetically before switching off the heat of the stove and turning back to her to give the woman a much-needed hug. "I'm sure he's just overwhelmed by the fact that he got into Yuuei, I was the same when I got admitted you know?" She smiled in reminiscence. "Mm, I suppose you're right."

The two continued in silence until all the food was prepared. It wasn't a special occasion or anything, though they appeared to have made too much food for that night. The two shared a laugh at how distracted they were to let such a thing happen. "Well, I suppose we can count the leftovers as lunch for tomorrow." She nodded in agreeance, "That sounds like a good idea." Turning towards the clock that hung above the door's frame, Inko nodded to herself before turning back to her son.

"Well, it's time to eat, would you be able to get Izuku for me, dear?" He nodded in affirmation, "Sure thing, mom."

Walking into the dark corridor, Izumi turned on the lights. Taking a few more steps into the hallway, he stopped in front of a simple wooden door which had an All Might themed nameplate that read, ' _Izuku'_

Knocking twice, the amber-eyed boy opened the door quietly and peered through the dark room. The faint light of the corridor shone on the various All Might posters that adorned Izuku's bedroom walls, His desk was littered with All Might figurines and his computer sat comfortably in the middle, though it appeared to have powered down. His gaze turned towards his brother's bed, which was for the sake of correspondence was also All Might themed. Though to his assumption, a lump was in view under his All Might sheets.

"Izuku?"

Ruffling could be heard from the lump on the bed but it didn't say anything. Walking closer, Izumi knelt down beside the bed before lifting the sheets off, revealing a sleeping Izuku. His eyes were closed but his breathing was steady, though he was much to his amusement dressed in normal sleepwear. Chuckling quietly, Izumi shook him gently, Izuku's emerald irises came into view as his eyelids opened sluggishly. Yawning, he sat upright before rubbing the sleep out of his eyes drowsily. "Nii-san?" He mumbled.

Izumi nodded before ruffling his hair playfully making the freckled boy chuckle sleepily. "Mhm, mom and I have already made dinner... you can sleep in if you want?" Izuku seemed to contemplate this for a moment but ultimately shook his head. "No... it's *yawn* fine..." Izumi's expression showed a hint of concern as he rubbed Izuku's back. "Are you sure?" All he got was mumbling in what appeared to be in affirmation, though he supposed that he couldn't stop him from doing what he wanted.

"Well okay then." Standing up, Izumi helped his brother out of bed as they slowly but steadily made their way over to the dining room to meet with their mother.

Looking back at Izuku, he appeared better than the previous day, though he definitely looks more tired. Izumi had noticed that the freckled boy had gone out without telling him or his mother during the night, though he had left him be to do what he needed to do, even if it would be detrimental to his health. He could only wonder how strong and dangerous his quirk was that would cause him to be so worn out like this, they were lucky that recovery girl's treatment was the best around... though a broken arm and two broken legs were something that needed to be worked on, even if they were healed...

But he just needed to place his faith in All Might, he was the symbol of peace after all.

* * *

A blond burly man stood on the cold stone of the park's pathway, his hands delved to seek the warmth of his trenchcoat's pockets as the morning wind blew from the sea behind him. The man known as All Might had just sent his new disciple and successor off to his date with destiny as he would call it. Looking at a nearby clock that stood on a metal pole, he presumed that he still had another hour or so to spend before his presence was required at the judging panel for the entrance exam. He stared at the clock in thought, All Might felt uneasy as he found out about an unsettling truth.

During his talk with Izuku that morning, he had the feeling that they were being watched.

Now, he had no evidence to support this hunch. There were no signs of a third presence, no rustling of the leaves, no footsteps, no sound, no nothing... but his senses told him that someone _was_ there with them... Obviously, they were skilled in the art of stealth as they had made sure not to leave any traces that would lead to their discovery but his teacher Gran Torino had always told him that senses weren't to be taken lightly, especially with the case of his quirk, One for All, risks were a factor that needed to be dealt with immediately... But the thing that bothered him the most was that the aura that this presence gave off wasn't one that could be described as malice or sinister, instead it was something that felt indescribable... though it didn't give off any evil intent, that didn't mean that it was good either...

All Might sighed as he turned around from the clock to face the shadows of the woods in front of him. "I know you're there and I know you've been eavesdropping on my conversation with the young man... so I'm going to give you the chance to come out now, or I'll have to make you." There was no response at first, only the sound of the coming wind could be heard in that period of silence. He breathed heavily in preparation to make do on his threat, though he paused as a nearby bush ruffled abruptly, a figure standing out from the hem of the bush. All Might stood there but remained cautious as the figure stepped out from the shadows into the sunlight where he could properly see their face.

The figure was a tall teenage male, he had presumed that he stood at about under 180 cm. He wore a simple white collared shirt, his sleeves rolled up to his shoulder, revealing fair white skin. A scarlet red tie hung snugly around his neck. Tidy black trousers covered his legs as he wore black sneakers with a golden striped design that laced from the heel of the shoe.

But something was off, this character... possessed green hair... Though most of his hair were black streaks that burst from the top of his head, the edges were tipped with an unmistakingly familiar shade of forest green that formed a rough crown around the level of his contrasting honest orange eyes.

All Might squinted at the figure, "... Who are you?"

The boy in front of him smiled apologetically. "I apologize for eavesdropping All Might, believe me that it wasn't an original intention of mine." Bowing his head slightly, his gaze grew serious.

"My name is Iwaizumi Midoriya."

The giant man froze upon hearing the boy's surname, "You... you're..." Izumi nodded, "Yeah, I'm Izuku's brother." He sighed in reluctance, he didn't like being this way but this was something that he needed to do.

"I need to talk with you in regards to what you have done to Izuku, All Might."

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Well that's the end of chapter one of "Blood Brothers" I hope you all enjoyed it so far, I'm sorry if I went overboard but I think that it went well. I plan to go over the main events as well as some made up ones (that won't affect the main story, more or less for character development)**

 **Also, if you had a hard time of comprehending Izumi's image (don't worry, I had a tough time describing it as well) well, his hair and face are similar to Haise Sasaki form Tokyo Ghoul but more fluffy and spiky I guess? (I love that anime, maybe I'll write another fic about it after this?) Though I really like Shindo's hair as well (from the license exam)**

 **Again, I'm sorry that it took so long to update this chapter and I hope to take up less time with the others but I'll do the best I can to make the most of each chapter.**

 **Again please leave any suggestions for the story and of course let me know if there is anything I could do better, as well as any mistakes I have made.**

 **I'll probably address any questions guys have in the next author's note but don't hesitate to ask anything (which I might regret saying but oh well)**

 **I'll see you guys in the next chapter. :)**

 **Ignis.**


	2. Understanding

**Author's note:**

 **Thank you all for your patience and support, I'll hope to be able to get a new chapter out as soon as I can!**

 **Just in case: disclaimer: I don't own My hero Academia**

 **But enough of that Here's Blood Brothers Chapter 2**

* * *

 **Beach Clearing View - Morning - before the exam**

The two sat on a nearby bench planted near the cove of the beach. The sun had finally made its full rise from the edge of the sea's plane, the sky slowly faded from orange to blue as the two just sat there and watched the shapely clouds pass by in the skies.

"You're young Midoriya's brother, eh?" All Might asked. Izumi nodded, "Yeah." He replied simply as the two fell into silence once more. All Might nodded, his sunken blue eyes grazed the bay's coast.

"How long have you known?" Izumi shoved his hands in his pockets in slight shame but he needed to own up to his actions. "I've been watching for a few days now, so I'm afraid that I'm privy to your secret..." The blond man nodded in understanding, "I see..."

"..."

"So, what will you do?" All Might asked the boy, Izumi's eyes grew distant as he continuously kept his gaze on the gentle waves that washed up upon the shore, only to retract back into the ocean's body.

"I'm not sure..." All Might sighed, he had expected as much from a brother like character. Of all the ones he had encountered, he had known the general gist of how they worked when it came to one another. From what he had said earlier, he could assume that Izumi had a good relationship with Izuku by his concern of what All Might had done with him, though what was unclear was how he truly felt about that... and that was something that he _needed_ to find out.

"Could I ask that you keep this a secret, young Midoriya?" He asked tentatively, in hopes to gauge his reaction. To his surprise, the boy nodded immediately, his amber eyes only showed the truth in his promise. "Yeah, I don't mind."

"... Are you sure?" Izumi nodded once more, "Yes, I am certain."

All Might fell silent, from his past experiences, someone who made up their mind could be deemed as having a good or bad trait... Unfortunately, this was something that he needed more to confirm as much as he hated to do it.

"He has gone down a dangerous road when he decided to accept my power, are you sure that you're okay with it?" He shrugged, "I never said that _I_ was 100% on board with it but that's something that he needs to decide on his own, and for me to stop him would only break him more than he already is..."

"Is that so?... Can I ask for your reasoning why?" The amber-eyed student slowly turned his gaze towards downwards to his lap, his expression appeared remorseful.

"Has Izuku ever told you of what happened in his past?" The blond man tilted his head in curiosity before shaking it to answer his question, "No, he has not. Only that he was quirkless."

"... I see." Izumi breathed heavily, All Might could tell that the enthusiastic and passionate boy's story was a hard one by his surprisingly lacking amount of self-confidence. He could only wonder what had happened to make such a bright and young light into such a fragile and timid candle. All Might was never one to delve into someone's past without their permission and he knew that the past was a painful thing that broke many. Looking back at the boy that sat beside him, he knew that the information he was about to give him was something that was essential to the way that he would raise him as his next successor and he believed that Izumi knew that too.

But he needed to start somewhere.

"What was he like?... when he was little, I mean." While it was a rather poor attempt at softening the atmosphere, he couldn't help but give him props for trying. It only meant that he was the kind hero that he knew he was. Izumi leaned back onto the wooden bench, the calm breezed sifted through his hair as his experiences and memories blurred vividly with the sky above him. "Izuku was always a cheery kid, he was someone that wanted to be a hero from a very young age. There was this one kid that Izuku had always admired, he was the of leader kind with a strong sense of authority and power, though they never really saw each other eye to eye, Izuku would always want to call him his friend..." He smiled sadly before continuing, "His habit of watching and observing heroes had started from when he found one of the rescue footages live across the internet." He chuckled, "In fact, it was one of yours! From then on, he was your ' _number one fan_ ' as me and my mother would call him, and if you hadn't already known. You were what inspired him to take on the path of a hero from that day on..." The man smiled, his sunken blue eyes brightened at the memory of their first encounter as it was a rather humorous one. As the memory passed, his expression turned into a somber and bitter one.

"That was until his fourth birthday..."

All Might had understood what that particular phrase had meant, the age of four was a special event for the people of this generation as it was the age in which quirks started developing... and he had already known by their first encounter that Izuku didn't have one. "As you know, Izuku was quirkless... and the news hit him hard." Izumi bit his lip hard as drew blood. He could remember that night in Izuku's room, the lights were turned off and the computer screen that featured All Might's very image was the only source of illumination that revealed Izuku's broken soul. He could remember his and his mother's cries as Izumi himself could only watch from behind the door, unable to do anything...

 _I'm so sorry Izuku..._

"He was bullied for being quirkless, even his ' _so-called friend_ ' had turned his back on him completely as he was left to wallow in loneliness... Though he would always come home with a straight face, he didn't mind the bruises or small scrapes, like the world wasn't taking every turn and opportunity to beat him into the ground." He clenched his fists hard as his knuckles turned white. "It had always hurt to see him like that, even if he puts on his brave face, I could only do so much to ease his pain, I could hear his anguished cries every night when mom had already gone asleep, I would go into his room and try to calm him down and help him, I did everything I could to stop them from spewing their garbage and throwing their stones... though it's not like someone like me, who has a quirk could really understand how he felt... my efforts didn't help him, I wasn't strong enough to help him... but that's the reason why I think that you're the key to saving him."

Returning his gaze back to the water below him, he couldn't help but continue his story as his heart had told him to.

"Izuku is strong, much stronger than I could ever hope to be, figuratively and now literally considering that he's your next successor." He chuckled, All Might joining him in the small but likely true joke. "He's like a saint, he's selfless and forgiving, too much so for any ordinary human being and he had always looked up to others with that glint of true happiness in his eyes. He even said that he had always looked up to me, though in truth, I had always looked up to him. Even if he's broken down or when he needs my help, I will be there for him. It's my role as his brother and friend to give him the helping hand he needs and I'll happily pick up the lost pieces that he had lost on the way for him, he deserves at least that much."

To say that All Might was surprised was a major understatement, he had never known that Izuku's past would have been so tragic and painful on his own as he was the kind an selfless boy he had known him to be. Even more so, that his brother was of a similar heart. Though All Might didn't have any siblings so he had no personal experiences of a personal brotherly bond firsthand but he had come across vile cases of jealousy erupt from even the kindest and strong bonds of brothers, when it came to the obtaining of power, it tended to rip families apart from their humanly desire of greed. Even to the point of murder...

But he was different.

The boy in front of him was kind and compassionate, even if he won't admit that his actions had affected One for All's successor greatly, Izuku had often described in great detail how much he adored his elder brother and he could tell that his words were only of honesty and genuine belief and trust.

"But since he had started going out to train with you, he has been more high spirited than I had ever seen him, his smiles were more genuine and he was actually happy."

Izumi stood up from his seat as All Might watched at him quizzically before the boy knelt down and bowed deeply, his forehead firm on the concrete floor.

"Thank you for giving him a second chance. He only deserves the best that I can offer him and even then I feel that it's not enough, but to know that his hero, his idol is willing to give everything to him with only the best intention and the genuine wanting to help him... makes me grateful beyond words can describe."

"I can never be able to fully repay you for your kindness."

All Might simply stared at the submissive figure of the boy kneeling before him, he didn't feel as if he deserved his thanks as he was lying to him this very minute by the mask that he wears.

Perhaps this was the first step...

"Young Midoriya." He stated firmly, "Lift your head up high, and stand straight, young man."

He proceeded to revert his body to his natural form, the pores of his skin steamed as his muscles deflated. Izumi raised his eyebrows but said nothing until all that was left before him was a skeleton of a man with deep sunken eyes and extremely baggy clothes on his back.

"So it's true..." the words were spoken at the level of a whisper. He had recalled the image of the skin and bones man that would often walk along Izuku during the early mornings, the man had always worn baggy clothing, his blond mane and long gold locks that hung at the side of his face. Though he had originally thought it strange that there were two similarly featured people helping Izuku, one was insanely masculine and the other looked like he was extremely malnourished, though he never had the solid proof to concrete the connection between the two contrasting characters.

"My name is Yagi Toshinori, but you know me as All Might, the number one hero..." Toshinori breathed in to steel himself for what was to come. He motioned for the two of them to sit back down onto the bench. This was going to be a long story...

* * *

"I see ... so, you're saying that your time as the symbol of peace is running out?" Izumi asked, his honest eyes were filled with so much concern Toshinori felt tempted to cover up for what he had just explained and tell a lie and play it off as a joke as he would for all the interviews on live... but ultimately decided to go against it. "Yes, I'm afraid so... I can't share more than what I've shared with you and young Midoriya... Izuku, I mean." Izumi chuckled at the confusing exchange, "Heh, you can just call me Izumi, Toshinori... or young Izumi if you really wanted to." The man gave him a toothy smile, "Heh, I suppose that would be a lot easier..."

"..."

"... Can I ask why you told me this?" Izumi asked. Toshinori looked back to the shore's waves which were dyed a deep blue hue upon the reflection of the clear vast sky.

"Well because you've already heard most of it, hiding behind the trees" Toshinori joked sternly, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

Izumi stiffened before sheepishly rubbing the back of his head turning his attention to the ground, his face flushed with embarrassment and shame. "Oh right... I suppose that makes sense, heheh."

Toshinori chuckled before putting a comforting hand on his shoulder, causing the boy to look up at him. He gave him a warm smile.

"But, from the short time that I had to get to know you, I had concluded that your spirit is of a similar nature to young Izuku's." The statement made Izumi pause before slowly turning his head to meet his bright blue eyes.

"I sense an aura of goodness in you young Iwaizumi. When I had given your brother one of the greatest and most powerful quirk in our generation, I was unaware that young Izuku had an older brother and I was afraid that if _you_ , an unknown variable in the equation had found out about the secrets of One for All... Well, I feared that you would react with bitterness and jealousy." The amber-eyed boy tilted his head in confusion, he was surprised that Toshinori had come to such a conclusion. "But I wouldn't betray Izuku's trust like that, I don't even mind that he received such a powerful quirk!" He retorted defensively. Toshinori nodded in agreement, "And I believe you, but it was a possibility that I couldn't just simply ignore." Toshinori sighed as his shoulders sagged, he intertwined his fingers together before laying his arms on his lap.

"In all my years of living, I have experienced multiple accounts of a cruel fire fuelled by jealousy and hatred corrupting people who were thought to be good and known to be kind... but it's not so easy to ignore their inner demons when it came to the topic of power. People hungry to obtain the strength to tower above over all else, to have control over everything you desire... I can't say I know how hard it is to support someone who had to suffer through all the trials the world could throw at him, I could only imagine what would be left was a soul devoid of hope and life, but you..."

"... He spoke of you in high regard often during his time with me, I can only imagine the acts of kindness you've done for him, so I have to thank you as well, for nurturing a dying sapling. I have full faith that he will grow to provide an abundant harvest."

Izumi's eyes grew misty. Rubbing his eyes, he gave the man a heartwarming smile and gave the man a light hug, Toshinori was surprised at the sudden gesture but gladly returned it not long after as he wrapped his long yet thin arms around Izumi's figure. The simple gesture sparked a familiar feeling of warmth within him, it was a long time since he had the opportunity to give someone a hug... and it was a chance that was warmly welcomed with wide arms to the man.

Izumi's presence was oddly reassuring and warm, no wonder Izuku liked to mention how much he liked his hugs...

"So, I've been wanting to ask..."

"Hm?"

"Well, the thing is that I still don't know how you two of you came to meet." Toshinori smiled and chuckled as he recalled the amusing yet... not so amusing memory. Though it was a day that he would never forget as it was what made Izuku a reminder to him of the true values of a hero.

"Well, it all began when-"

*beep, beep, beep*

The boy suddenly detached himself from the man and apologized briefly before rummaging through his pockets "Sorry about that All might I'll tur-...!" His calm demeanor suddenly shattered into a frenzy of panic upon looking at his phone.

"Oh no, I need to hurry, I'll miss it!" Izumi quickly turned to All might and apologized profusely in which the latter held his hands up reassuringly. "Young Izumi, calm down."

Izumi stopped suddenly seemingly remembering something before standing up properly from his apologetic trance, All might couldn't help but smile at how similar the two are in how they panicked as well as how quickly they regained their composure.

They really are two peas in a pod.

"Would I be able to ask something of you, All Might?"

Toshinori held his hand outwards in a gesture to tell him what was on his mind. Toshinori's mouth formed a straight line as his eyes held a curious look. "Don't worry, tell me what is on your mind, Young Midoriya." Izumi smiled gratefully, he appreciated the man's patient and honest nature.

"Could I ask that you watch over him during his time in Yuuei? I know he doesn't have any friends and he's not particularly the best at making them either but I'm hoping that you'll be able to be there for him when I can't and teach him to reconnect with people once more... Life at Yuuei is a rather strenuous and hard one from the unfortunate amount of opportunities to strike at the heart of the world of heroes. There's no denying that there won't be any villain attacks like there were previous years but I just wanted to know if I can trust you to protect him and to guide him on his journey reach his maximum potential with this new quirk you've given him., besides, I had heard that you were starting your first year teaching so I don't mind helping out here and then if you need it."

Toshinori's eyes widened at the mention of teaching Izuku in studies and it appeared that Izumi quickly caught on and explained to avoid confusion. "Oh, sorry I forgot that you haven't announced that you're a teacher now" he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly "My mother and I accidentally eavesdropped on Izuku when he received your Hologram letter, she cried out of joy knowing that he passed as well as the fact that Izuku's idol was also now a teacher in his new school." The man remained silent for a moment before bursting out in laughter.

"Of course, I understand, and to answer your request, I will do everything in my power to ensure that young Midoriya lives a fulfilling life with friends and happiness" Izumi nodded gratefully, seemingly satisfied by his response before making half a turn gesturing All might to follow.

As they made their way towards the entrance of the shore's path, Izumi performed a few stretches before his body sparked with orange lightning. He smirked with a challenging expression as he reached down to touch his toes. "Care to race?" Toshinori smiled back as his muscles expanded until his form finished its transformation process to develop into the image of the world's symbol of peace. His sunken blue eyes gleamed with a glint of mirth. "I was just thinking the same thing."

Izumi chuckled, "Okay then."

The two resumed into a ready sprinting position as they lined at the border between the gray concrete and jet black tar. Though he was most likely going to lose, the very thought of racing the number one hero was still a thrilling one that he was willing to entertain.

"ready..." Izumi muttered.

"GO!" All Might exclaimed as the two burst forward to greet the new day.

* * *

 **Midoriya Apartment**

Izuku walked home exhausted but his aura was emanating with happiness. The prestigious school of Yuuei was more than what he had ever expected in his wildest dreams! The teachers themselves were generally likable and nice (though Eraserhead/Aizawa sensei was strict but so cool.) The subjects that they had covered in both the hero course as well as their general studies were quite incredible as the vast number of teachers and pro heroes alike were quite knowledgeable and proficient in their specialized topics of choice. Even All Might was there in the very flesh, teaching them the values and beliefs of what a hero should be, albeit his methods of teaching or being general skill in being a teacher was rough around the edges and needed improvement but he appreciated how much effort the man put into helping the next generation of heroes grow. He couldn't even begin to describe how amazing the food served there was, they even had Katsudon on the menu which he was pleased to say that it could nearly rival mom's as it was prepared by Lunch-Rush, a culinary hero who made food of the highest quality. The fields located around the perimeter of the school were large and expansive, there were a variety of kind people that gave him a smile as he walked by and to top it all off, he made friends! Lots of friends! everyone he encountered in his class was really nice to him and for once in his entire life he didn't feel truly alone, he even made two best friends!

He was glad to know that even Katsuki made it into the hero course, perhaps this was his chance to make up for their past...

Opening the front door, Izuku pulled his feet out from his favorite red sneakers before stepping onto the comforting chilled floor that never failed to give him a small tingle of delight.

"I'm home mom!"

Walking from the entryway into the combined lounge accompanied by the kitchen, the freckled boy found the comforting and normal sight he was usually greeted with when he had returned home from school. His mother Inko was busy over the stove preparing a delightful dinner for the three of them to enjoy, happily humming to herself a light tune that she had probably heard from the radio somewhere during the day and his older brother Izumi sitting on the large couch next to their television studying with a few rounds of books and papers scattered across the coffee table. He had always admired how diligent he was in his studies and it had inspired him to do the same at school, though Izumi had often teased him for how much more he studied on pro heroes, events, and agencies on the web. Though it was never out of spite, only of adoration the two of them shared for each other.

His mother looked up from what she had been previously preoccupied with and quickly hurried over to her son after making sure that they weren't in danger of any accidents or a house fire before enveloping the boy in a heartfelt hug accompanied by an eager curiosity and a wide smile as her forest green eyes gleamed brightly. "Welcome home son, how was your first day at school?" To which he responded with a bright smile of his own

"It was great, there's so much I wanted to tell you and nii-san!" He replied giddily, seeing her son in such happy spirits was enough to bring Inko to tears as her eyes grew misty and wet. Composing herself she gave him a nod in understanding. "Oh, Izuku! That's great to hear, we'll expect to hear the whole story over dinner, understood?" Izuku chuckled at his mother's motherly enthusiasm.

"Sure mom."

Making his way over to the couch, Izuku plopped onto the comfy seat next to his older brother. Upon noticing his approach, Izumi finished scribbling his last notes into his textbook before closing it shut. Turning towards Izuku, his honest orange eyes brightened as a warm smile greeted the freckled student.

"Welcome home Izukun." He greeted before bringing Izuku into a warm embrace in which the other gratefully returned it as well as earning an eyeroll at his brother's nickname for him, upon separation Izumi ruffled Izuku's messy green hair playfully "How was your day?"

"It was great! Everybody at school is really nice, and the workload wasn't as bad as I had thought it to be, and I even made new friends!" He exclaimed cheerily, upon hearing the statement made by Izuku, Izumi perked up upon hearing Izuku using the term 'friends', though he was too busy having a short out in his brain, their mother also perk up at the same word before frantically rushing to get everything set so she could hear and interrogate everything out of Izuku about these new friends he had made. Izuku, on the other hand, looked at the boy next to him with curiously as well as a minor hint of concern. "Nii-san?" Shaking out of his trance, he leaped onto Izuku as he hugged him again, although it was much tighter than the last. "That's incredible Izukun! I'm so proud of you!" The freckled boy blushed but laughed nonetheless. The two soon settled down as they discussed some of the properties of Yuuei's schooling activities.

"So how was your day, Nii-san?" He smiled then gave a small shrug in response.

"It was good, just the usual, though we have to appreciate the days we live in peace before pressing on towards beating the next whether the hardships are easy or hard to overcome."

Izuku had to agree with his brother's philosophy, as they were in the hero course, there was a high chance that they would encounter villains of different kinds. The thought of fighting a villain at his current level sent a shiver down his spine. It probably wasn't a good idea to think of that now...

"Dinner is served, boys!" Inko exclaimed heartily as she made a prideful and exuberant expression, the two chuckled lightly at their mother's rare but humorous eccentrics.

Izumi said as he lifted himself off from the couch. Izuku was about to do the same until an open hand appeared before him. Looking up, he found Izumi smiling softly at him like an angel from the heavens. "Shall we?"

Izuku smiled back before accepting his brother's helping hand.

"Yeah, lets."

As the due proceeded to make their way to the dining table that comfortably fit the three of them with much room to spare, Izumi stopped upon a certain picture frame catching his eye on a nearby table that was sat near a set of looming bookshelves that Izuku and Izumi had always liked to store their books along with the occasional cookbooks and novels from their mother.

Izuku didn't seem to notice his brother's apparent pause as he continued walking towards where their mother stood as she prepared all of the plates and tableware. Izumi reached out and held the frame gently. It was apparently quite old and dusty, though it's intricately carved wooden designed frame was still in good condition. Wiping the dust away with his hand, a bittersweet smile formed on the amber-eyed boy's face. Within the frame held an old picture of their family, their mother and father laughing with bright smiles on their faces, a baby Izuku held in Inko's arms. Two children stood in front of them, smiling just as brightly as they appeared to be around three years old.

A soft tear ran down his cheeks as he kept his gaze fixed on the old memory.

"Izumi?" Inko called out, snapping the young adult from his trance.

"Coming mom!" He replied as he hastily wiped his cheek before carefully placing the frame back where it stood before he walked off to eat with his family.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **I hope you guys are enjoying the story so far, it just gets me excited knowing people like what I'm offering.**

 **If you're already an existing reader, I hope that the one tiny detail that I had added would peak your interest for the upcoming plot of the story huehuehue.**

 **I'm planning on having some OCs to fill in Izumi's class (which is with Togata, Nejire, and Amajiki) so please, send in some detailed suggestions and I'll welcome them into the story.**

 **Thanks for reading and be sure to leave any suggestions, comments or reviews for me to read.**

 **See you guys later**

 **Ignis**


	3. Forshadowing

**Author's Note:**

 **Juusan13: thanks for the review, for all of you I hope to be able to make things as easy to digest as possible. Today's chapter will more or less focus on developing the outline of Izumi's character (somewhat?) as well as his quirk I guess (again somewhat)**

 **Enjoy chapter 3.**

* * *

 **Early Morning**

Early in the morning, Izumi and Izuku respectively walked through the dimmed halls of their apartment building's corridors as the sun was still on the verge of rising, their footsteps echoed through the relatively empty halls as the sky outside blended in a smooth transition between purple and orange. It was quite the sight, the two had to admit. Izuku walked behind his elder brother, clutching his arm lightly as they progressed down to the main lobby.

"Hey, you okay Izuku?" Izumi asked, concerned for Izuku's timid behavior. The broccoli haired boy nodded shakily as he just kept his grip on his brother's hand firmly so he wouldn't disappear into the darkness. Izumi smiled, "Don't worry, I'm right here beside you if you need me." The freckled student smiled at his brother's attempts to cheer him up, though he supposed that Nyctophobia was something that he'd grow out of later in life but it still has it's little offsets and disturbances. The emerald eyed boy sighed, he supposed that this was what he'd get for watching late night villain attacks live on his laptop. The two of them didn't usually leave the house this early as taking the train from the nearby station that was designated to travel to Yuuei didn't take longer than a half hour ride and a few more minutes to reach there in the first place but Izuku had been asked particularly by Izumi that they wake up early and get to school for a _'small surprise'_ that he had in store for him, though he still wondered what it was...

Taking their final flight of stairs, the two were greeted by the usual sleepy receptionist that typically sat there staring at the mostly unchanging view of the world outside the glass doors in front of them. The two felt sorry for them as they would often find that they would have heavy bags under their eyes but they had always just waved it off per usual, they had always just said that it was a part of the job. The lobby was devoid of people, excluding the receptionist. Though the area of the lobby was decorated with a few couches, coffee tables, bookshelves and the occasional vending machine that sits in the corner. Despite the eerie silence, the large room held a rather peaceful atmosphere, though some may say that it's rather unsettling, most of the residents had just shrugged it off as they simply got used to it.

Leading Izuku outside, the two stood on a small platform that held a view of the park clearing that was located next to the entrance of the building. A few cars had passed by the two, minding their own business during an uneventful morning. The sky glowed a warm orange as the cotton clouds drifted in the sky, the sun shined in the horizon as the giant was slowly rising from its slumber.

"What do you think?" Izumi asked, breaking the silence. Izuku nodded in wonder, "It's really nice, but is this what you wanted to show me?" He asked with a slight hint of disappointment, the amber-eyed boy chuckled before shaking his head in response. "No, what I wanted to do was to have you meet up with some friends of mine." The broccoli haired boy tilted his head curiously, he had a few guesses as to who he could be referring to but ultimately decided that he might as well take part in the _surprise_.

"Okay, but where are we going?" The amber-eyed boy laughed again before ruffling Izuku's messy hair, "That's a part of the surprise isn't it?" He replied simply as Izuku rolled his eyes as a small smile tugged at his lips, he couldn't deny his brother's enthusiasm but he was curious.

Taking off his backpack, Izumi rummaged around the insides in search for a particular item. The freckled boy watched curiously, he wondered what could possibly appear from the mysteriously normal school bag. His questions were answered upon seeing a pair of attachable metal soles. Izuku's emerald green eyes widened upon seeing the peculiar item before it's features flashed a light of recognition in his eyes.

"W-wait, w-we're not..." Izumi nodded enthusiastically, his eyes gleamed with excitement and his smile grew wide. "Yep, we're flying there!" The freckled boy's jaw dropped at the declaration. He had known that Izumi had often practiced the ability of flight with his quirk, though his early experiences had always left him with a few scrapes and bruises, the amber-eyed boy had always brushed off his mistakes and thought of them as stepping stones for his success. While his attitude was inspiring to the quirkless boy, seeing his brother have such an amazing quirk that was so versatile made Izuku a little bit jealous at first and the thought had grown soon after.

But his bright smile and honest affection, even in the face of someone who was quirkless, someone who was considered outcast in society had given him hope, the light that he had provided him had dwindled his jealousy over time, he had always sacrificed time to protect Izuku from the people who tried to hurt him, he defiantly stood over him as his shield... how could he be jealous of him when he works so hard to protect him, he could only do his best to do the same for the one who saved him from those dark times.

Izuku hung his head in defeat but his smile never left his face as he reached over to grab the metal soles. After finding a suitable bench to adjust the soles to fit comfortably on his favorite red sneakers, Izuku was surprised at how lightweight the model was in comparison to the first design Izumi was assigned to try out. "These were made by the support division in Yuuei." He chuckled, "There was a first year in Powerloader sensei's class that was assigned to create these for me, she was rather... expressive... yeah, let's go with that." Izuku tilted his head in confusion and curiosity but Izumi waved him off, "But that's of no importance, besides, the quality of these are extraordinary, she really did a good job on them." The freckled boy had to nod in agreeance, they weren't bothersome in any way and had felt almost lightless.

"Well, we can't just stand here all day." He mentioned, for Izuku to stand with him. In doing so, Izumi offered his back to the broccoli haired boy with a sly smirk. "Well? Hop on!" He joked, eliciting the expected response from his younger brother. Izuku's face flushed in embarrassment as he just stared at him dumbfounded, "W-w-what?!" He shrieked, Izumi pouted teasingly, though the mischievous glint in his eyes never disappeared. "What? To embarrassed to have a piggyback ride with your bro?" Izuku facepalmed, "You always do this nii-san..." Izumi chuckled at his remark, "But you're smiling." He was and he couldn't deny it as he shrugged.

"Yeah, I suppose so." Izumi nodded before holding his hand out for Izuku to grab. Taking it gratefully, Izuku felt a tingling sensation. It was unpleasant at first but soon refined to a feeling that he could only describe as a hum of soft wind wrapping around his body as it glowed a familiar orange hue. A sudden burst of electricity surged around the two, Izuku flinched slightly but kept his hold firm, Izumi smiled at this.

"Ready?"

"... Yeah."

* * *

 **Morning - Streets**

The turbulent wind lashed at Izuku's distraught face and combed through his dangling broccoli green hair as he desperately hung onto his brother's waist for dear life as they traversed the fading magenta skies. Izumi, on the other hand, looked perfectly fine as his expression brightened, his orange eyes gleamed with delight and a broad smile made its way onto his face, he appeared to be enjoying himself in contrast to Izuku, as they made a few twists, flips, and turns, again, much to Izuku's dismay. Daring to look down below them, Izuku immediately regretted his choice. The world below him grew smaller, tall buildings appeared to be like scattered Lego blocks and the people and cars were shrunk into the size of ants. "You okay?" Izumi asked, in turn, his brother just sank further into his brother's back, not daring to look away from anything other than his school-issued blazer. "C-could w-we l-lower d-down m-more, p-please..." A frown fell on Izumi's face, not because of the fact that the two didn't share the thrill of being so high but rather that he was so careless to scare Izuku out of his mind like this, he was being careless. "Sure thing, we're nearly there anyways..."

Lowering their altitude, Izuku's vice grip on Izumi's jacket seemed to lessen as they were at a more manageable height from the ground, he turned his head slightly toward's Izuku's general direction, "I'm sorry that we went so high, I suppose I got carried away. I won't do it again if you don't want me to." Izuku smiled crookedly, "I'd like that..." The broccoli haired boy lifted his head from Izumi's back to the view in front of them, he could see the large structure of Yuuei's teaching facilities in the distance, gleaming a colorful light from the sun's reflection. "But thanks, Nii-san." He smiled back, "Anytime."

After a moment's worth of silence, Izuku thought up of a random topic to make small talk as they flew, "So do you not need to go to your internship today, Nii-san?" Izumi shook his head in response, "No, the boss said that we're currently off duty for now as a sort of ' _break'_ for all of the third year students to resume our normal studies. He nodded in understanding. Izumi smiled, "That's why my class and I were able to watch and monitor over all the entrance exams, as well as piggyback you back home while you were rendered unconscious by _smashing_ that robot's face in." He ended with a teasing grin. Izuku's face flushed a deep red in shame and embarrassment "Oh man, mom was so worried." The amber eyed boy chuckled, "Well, that's what makes mom the best mom." Izuku smiled in agreeance before leaning further into his brother's back. "Thanks for bringing me home, Nii-san." Izumi laughed before nodding in reply, "Of course, it's my responsibility as your brother to look after you, you know."

Falling silent once more, Izumi scanned the premise of their current location before beaming upon locating three familiar figures walking alongside one another below them. Turning his head to the side, he found find Izuku flying alongside him with a slightly more comfortable expression albeit still frightened of the thought of falling to the ground. "We're going to be headed down soon, so get ready okay?" Izuku turned to look at him with slight uncertainty but nodded with honest trust and faith in his brother's reassurance.

"Hang on tight." He told him as his electric orange eyes surged with a charge of trailing lightning before they burst forward with intense speed, a ring of orange light remained behind them as they closed in on their targets.

Below them, three senior Yuuei students walked along the concrete paven sidewalk talking amongst themselves happily. Standing on the right of the three was Togata Mirio, the tall, muscular, cowlick blond with the ability to permeate his entire body to phase through objects. He is known to be hardworking and optimistic to the end, he always has a smile on his face and never fails to bring one to other's faces. To the left was Tamaki Amajiki, the socially awkward and sensitive aspiring hero who holds the incredible power of manifesting the characteristics of the things he eats. Despite his low self-esteem, Tamaki's quirk alone is noted to be enough to surpass most pro heroes and his power is backed by his intellect. In the middle of the three was the enthusiastic, cheery, endlessly curious and free-spirited bluenette Nejire Hado who was gifted with the ability to manipulate the pure energy generated from her body in the form of powerful shockwaves. Despite her notably distracted and blunt nature, her passionate desire to learn new and strange things allows for her to be level-headed during high-pressure situations.

The big three of Yuuei were known to represent the entirety of Tokyo as some of the most talented and skilled students recognized for their potential to outclass most pro heroes. While they weren't the best in their academical studies, their heroic accomplishments are nothing to scoff at and their worth as heroes are undeniable to a city in dire need of true bravery. Though that is not to say that their classmates are far behind as the students of class 3-A aren't far behind either as many can be said to be just as capable as them.

Togata scratched the back of his head in wonderance as he checked his wristwatch curiously. "Hmm, I wonder where Midoriya is?... He said that he would meet up with us around here." He commented dubiously. Tamaki shrugged as he shoved his hands in his pockets as his figure slouched, "Well, he could just be running late?..."

"Maybe..."

Nejire placed a hand to her chin in thought, it wasn't like Izumi to be late to something unless he had a good reason for any delay and he would usually tell them in their private group conversation between the four of them. Then an idea clicked in her head as she curiously looked up at the sky causing her to smile brightly. "Guys, guys!" She exclaimed as she shook her friends in the successful attempt to gain their attention.

"Hey! Where have you been Izumi?" Nejire exclaimed while cupping her hands before waving over to the pair. Tamaki muttered something to her along the lines of "You're being too loud Nejire..." Before turning his attention back to his friend, giving Izumi a slight wave.

Landing on the stone concrete pavement, Izumi smiled upon seeing his friends gather around him and Izuku as the broccoli haired boy hopped off of his bother's back. "Hey guys, I was just bringing my brother along for the ride..." He looked at Izuku questioningly as the freckled boy was frozen in place, his jaw wide open as his eyes shined. "Y-you guys a-are the B-big three of Y-Yuuei?!" He exclaimed in bewilderment as well as amazement at the revelation that he had the chance to meet the legendary top students of Yuuei... well at least two of them... One of Izumi's eyebrows raised as he looked around, to find the tall blond of the group missing. "Hey, where's..." His sights finally landed upon what was most likely Togata's clothes which were loitered on the ground without any care. "... Togata... *sigh*" Izumi turned towards Izuku with an empathetic look before placing his hand on the boy's shoulder solemnly, "Sorry about this..." He said simply with an apologetic tone, the other two senior students seemed to have caught on to what Izumi was on about as they had also caught the sight of Togata's clothes on the floor. Tamaki appeared to have the same look as Izumi on his face as he shied away from his gaze, his lips held in a line tightly. Nejire, on the other hand, appeared to be excited but was empathetic enough to look sorry for the freshman. "What are you guys..." Izuku never got to finish that statement as the sudden appearance of a rather... exposed Togata jumped in front of him, seemingly appearing from nowhere.

"Hi, there!" Togata exclaimed, his hands outstretched into the air above him. To anyone else, this scene would look rather criminalistic but the other three had already gotten used to the blond's antics... unfortunately, Izuku wasn't... at all. Izuku screamed in dismay at the senior student's exposed form as Izumi had to step in and cover Izuku's and Nejire's eyes from the rather unsightly image being burned into their brains. While Nejire wasn't as easily disturbed as Izuku was as she may have seen it accidentally when they were first years, Izuku was immensely grateful for his brother's interference, even if they had a legendary like status amongst the students of Yuuei, he would prefer to keep his mind clean of all profanity.

"Ah, sorry about that, I forgot that my clothes don't permeate with me..." He confessed as he desperately fumbled around to put his clothes back on. Slightly exasperated, Tamaki turned his head towards the now half-naked man. "Mirio, did you have to do that? You're naked in public and it's embarrassing..." He laughed admittedly in apology before hurrying to put the rest of his clothes back onto his body.

Soon after Togata sorted out his clothing, the resident blond and bluenette rushed Izuku with praise and amazement at his demonstration during the entrance exam. "Congratulations on getting into Yuuei, Midoriya! How do you like school so far?" Togata asked eagerly. While they don't particularly interact with people of different year levels often, the few exceptions being during an internship or anything relating to the topic, the three were curious as to what the freshman thought of their school as well as how they had fit in. It was a part of their charm of how much they cared about the wellbeing of their lowerclassmen, all the more adding to their resume of qualities contributing towards being a successful hero in the future. Izuku blushed in an embarrassed manner as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "It's been great! There's -"

Izuku went to ramble on about all of the different aspects and enjoyments of Yuuei he had the pleasure of experiencing, delving into the topics of his studies, friends, teachers... especially the teachers.

"And then All Might was like, _I am here!_ " Izuku exclaimed while exhibiting his near perfect All Might expression which took him months to perfect since his first meeting with the number one hero. Nejire and Togata laughed heartily at Izuku's fanboying, even Tamaki got across a small smile at the boy's enthusiasm, he had to admit that it was rather entertaining. "Who's your homeroom teacher, Midoriya?" Togata asked with peaked curiosity, Nejire had also shared his enthusiasm as she waited for his answer. "Umm, it's Aizawa sensei." He answered simply, only to have the four of them to freeze and look at him with an astonished expression. "Wow, really?" Nejire inquired, Togata patted Izuku's back, laughing heartily. "Well then, you must have been a good student if you haven't been expelled yet!" Togata proclaimed, his warm, bright smile dazzled in the sunlight. He smiled back tentatively as the memory of the fitness exam they had been forced to partake during the official opening ceremony for all the first-year students to welcome them into Yuuei. Now, probably wasn't a good time to mention how terribly he failed...

"Hey, can I ask about your quirk, it's really-" The cheery bluenette went on to invade Izuku's much needed personal space as she bombarded him with relevant and not so relevant questions to satiate her curiosity. The poor freckled boy's face flushed a bright red as he tried his best to answer her questions without giving away too much about one for all excepts for the basics of what it does or at least what he assumed it did, even if he stuttered through most of his answers.

Izumi smiled at the sight of his brother talking with his closest friends in Yuuei, he never really got to see how he interacted with people he deemed as a _friend_ of sorts apart from his mother and himself.

"Izumi!" A voice called for him, Izumi turned to find Togata and Tamaki walking towards him, a curious expression on their faces. "Now that I think about it, your brother's quirk is much different from yours isn't it?" Togata inquired as he adjusted his red tie with a little bit of trouble. Tamaki decided to throw in his own observation to contribute to the conversation as he helped Togata with his tie. "I have to agree, that quirk of his is extremely powerful but it has major and even extreme drawbacks... it doesn't seem to have been developed properly." He ended somewhat skeptically, though Izumi knew that the Tamaki didn't mean any offense by that statement but it was a question that needed to be asked. Izumi sighed, he didn't like to lie to his friends but One for All was a secret that he had promised to keep, for All Might's sake, for their sake ... and for Izuku's sake.

He masked his reluctance with a smile, "I suppose so." He turned his head towards Izuku, his expression forlorn as the others followed his gaze, "Izuku was deemed as quirkless when he had turned four." Their eyes widened in surprise by the revelation but remained silent. "It's not my place to tell you guys what had happened since then but I can tell you that as luck would have it, he had unexpectedly developed the extremely powerful but self-destructive quirk during the very entrance exam we had been able to witness." Even if the story was slightly unbelievable, it wasn't out of the question that quirks could be manifested during moments of intense feelings, though the idea itself hadn't been supported by any kind of evidence whatsoever. Much to Izumi's relief and guilt, the two decided to not question his story as skepticism or superstition and they had left the topic alone.

Turning their attention back to Nejire and Izuku, the trio had found the broccoli haired boy... well, he was getting overwhelmed to put it lightly. He had apparently fallen onto the floor as his face was as red as a tomato, his forehead glistened with sweat. Nejire appeared to be apologizing to Izuku for her forward behavior but continued once she was given the okay to go by a small nod in acceptance from Izuku which he now regretted. Surprisingly, Tamaki was the first to speak up as he walked up to the pair. "Nejire, please stop harassing Izumi's brother... he looks like he's on the verge of passing out." He muttered. Nejire swiftly turned around, ceasing her barrage of questions to face the other group of boys as she pouted, "That's mean Tamaki!" She exclaimed wagging a finger in his face, the boy in question merely rolled his eyes at her antics. From behind her, Izuku gave the normally socially awkward student a desperate and silent ' _Thank you'_ to which he responded with a small nod.

Togata was the next to speak up as he mounted his bag on his back as he motioned for the others to follow. "We should probably get to school, if we go now, we should be able to get there on time." Izumi nodded in agreeance, "I agree, we've spent quite a bit of time talking here and I don't think Sensei would appreciate having us late to class, even if he is generally laid back." Nejire acknowledged their reasoning as she helped Izuku on his feet, in response, Izuku gave her a shaky but appreciative smile to which she gave him a wholehearted one in kind.

The group continued their trip towards the front gates of Yuuei, Izuku was currently conversing with Togata up front, sharing their passion of heroism, Tamaki walked nearby contributing in every so often. It had just occurred to Izumi that Izuku had shared the main personality types of both Togata and Tamaki, in which he shares the same passion for heroism and endeavors towards working hard to become number one. Funnily enough, Izuku shared his timid and socially awkward nature but both had shown the ability to display and muster a large amount of courage when the situation called for it. It was an amusing thought indeed.

Izumi's fingers twitched which sent him on slight alert, it was a small reflex that had often told him of an unusual presence which would send him on edge. Looking around, he wasn't able to identify the source of his instinct as the area around them was starting to fill up with students of different years, disrupting his senses. He sighed and dismissed the warning until later, but he had to be cautious...

"Izumi, are you alright?"

The innocent question shook the amber-eyed student out from his line of thought as he turned around to find Nejire curiously looking at him with an expression of confusion and slight concern, her eyebrows furrowed.

"Izumi?" She repeated, she started to feel uneasy as the boy in front of her appeared to be unresponsive.

The taller student blinked in surprise before shaking his head gently and smiled warmly in an attempt to alleviate her concern. "Don't worry about me, I'm fine..." He held her hand tenderly before rubbing his thumb over her hand affectionately. She smiled tentatively as she didn't appear to be fully convinced but subsequently decided to drop the topic.

"... If you say so..."

"Sorry..."

She sighed, "It's fine, but we should probably hurry to class." A comforting smile on her face, causing Izumi to return on of his own.

"Yeah..."

A cheeky grin crossed her face as she giggled impishly as she ran ahead of him, "I'll race ya!" She exclaimed in exuberance as she ran off, leaving him behind. "Huh?" He said bewildered.

...

"HUH?!" He exclaimed, as he hurriedly ran in a desperate attempt to catch the energetic bluenette. Looking back, Nejire giggled at the amusing expression Izumi made as he tried to catch up to her position. _She's surprisingly fast..._ he thought, but her beautiful smile made all of his worries melt away as he slowly forgot about anything other than her. He smiled in amusement as well as gratitude and she smiled back wistfully.

 _For him..._

 _For her..._

In the distance, a lone figure clad in a tattered black cloak smiled at the sight of the two. They lingered as their sharp blue eyes moved to take in the whole of Yuuei in its grandeur. A hushed voice was heard near the figure as they held a hand up to cup their ear. After a moment, the figure nodded in affirmation to nobody in particular as they turned away. They took out a tattered photo and smiled at it before tucking it back into the void of his cloak.

"I'll see you soon, Iwaizumi Midoriya..."

* * *

 **Author's note:**

 **There is chapter 3.**

 **The next chapter(s) will be about the USJ incident and will likely have some Izuku and 1-A development, (the arc itself will probably take a few chapters)**

 **Now to put it lightly, Izumi's quirk is lightning and electromagnetism, like a more enhanced version of her mother's quirk, though at the base it's a lightning element quirk, it's similar to the one in the story "Emerald Lightning" (which is a great fanfiction and I highly recommend that you guys read it if you haven't already) but the application of the quirk will have different specifications but will be similar (he can still create powerful lightning, I plan on making it a powerful quirk though not too op I guess, but it's fun to write characters like that I think) but there's a more in depth explanation about his quirk later on.**

 **I hope you guys don't think that Izumi's character is too complicated, his main attributes are similar to Izuku for the most part (without the socially awkward element) but I'll be developing some other elements as well.**

 **I've also made Izumi's internship with a certain character which will definitely affect the story as well as explaining how his quirk comes into effect in the relationship between them.**

 **Also, characters that will be mainly involved in the plot will be**

 **\- Izuku and Iwaizumi (obviously)**

 **\- Inko Midoriya and Hisashi Midoriya (their mom and dad)**

 **\- Togata (or Mirio, his first name which Tamaki calls him by), Nejire and Tamaki**

 **\- Uraraka and Iida (as Izuku's friends)**

 **\- Shoto Todoroki and his family (later on)**

 **Also, I should note that I like to update my previous chapters (which I hope are better) so please check it out whenever you can!**

 **Thanks for reading chapter 3**

 **Ignis**


	4. USJ part 1

**Author's notes:**

 **It took a while to decide where I want to start this but I hope it turned out well... (also there should be one or two more chapters about the USJ incident, 3 at most.)**

 **Just in case, I don't really know what Thirteen's gender is so I'll just use the terms 'they' and 'their' just to be safe.**

 **But anyways here's chapter 4.**

* * *

 **Unforeseen Simulation Joint: USJ**

"So to speak, you won't be using your powers to attack enemies or each other, you are only to use your abilities to help those in need." Thirteen mentioned, wagging a finger in a forward and back motion repeatedly before placing their capped gloved hands onto their fluffy waist. Their digitally animated eyes scanned the vicinity as it slowly rotated around the pitch black dome. Izuku nodded furiously as his pencil practically raced on his notebook. The boy was very diligent in taking notes, especially that of heroes. Taking into account of advice and guidance of the pro heroes they have been fortunate to have as assets for the school, Izuku had been given plenty to write in his notebook, not to mention that All Might was there to help him as well.

"After all, that's what being a hero is all about! Our duty is ensuring the safety of others as it's our number one priority above all else." The marshmallow-like astronaut hero exclaimed pointing their capped finger to the skies. Thirteen's inspiring words motivated the students, prompting them to meet the rescue hero's expectations. Izuku smiled eagerly, his emerald-green eyes gleamed with enthusiasm and his fist was held close to his chest.

Turning his gaze towards his two best friends, Izuku could tell that they had also felt the same way. Iida had a wide smile plastered on his face, his silver-rimmed glasses shone with a slick gleam as his muscled arms folded in approval. The engine quirk user had been prideful in their determination to excel and tackle the challenges that the hero course provided, though his quirk can be considered undesirable for certain situations, the spectacled bluenette would always try his absolute hardest to follow in his brother's footsteps of being as great of a hero that Tensei was.

Uraraka had previously disclosed the fact that she was quite the fan of the astronomically themed hero as she started shivering in delight, her expression tense but beamed with enthusiasm. Her chocolate brown eyes were wide with admiration as Izuku could practically see her entire body shaking with excitement. He had to admit that he felt the same way as he could only imagine what kind of challenges they would face here in the legendary Unforeseen Simulation Joint which was constructed especially to train these heroes in the art of rescue operations.

The entire class had shared their emotions as they buzzed with energy. They all looked at each other with challenging but friendly gazes, the pressure of the air increased as they were prepared to spend the next few hours of the day as heroes. Though that isn't to say that there aren't people who share their heroic passion, Mineta for one was too busy having a gander at the girls' outfits as they were all dressed in their hero costumes for the rescue simulations. His attention was best drawn to Yaoyorozu and Mina who were unfortunate enough to have a quirk that required to materialize matter from their skin, his expression showed one of intensity and determination albeit a different and much worse kind. ' _I think his nose is bleeding again...'_

Izuku's peripheral moved over to his childhood friend Katsuki Bakugo, who only huffed with a look of indifference and disinterest at the topic as the class knew that the explosive teen preferred close combat over rescue operations as his superiority complex would advocate but Izuku didn't miss the slight curve on the edge of his lips, at this, he smiled in relief and respite. Unfortunately, Bakugo didn't miss his smile either as his expression suddenly turned vengeful and murderous, his ruby red eyes gleamed with irritation. "What the f*ck do you think you're looking at stupid Deku?!" He screamed causing the broccoli haired boy to jump slightly and shrink in stature as the class stopped momentarily before continuing with their chatter. Aizawa rolled his eyes, "Bakugo." He yelled sternly, as his expression was exasperated. The sandy blond huffed before turning silent, his death glare, however, hadn't diminished but the tired pro hero was too, well, tired to do anything about it as he was just done with him and really just didn't care anymore.

Thirteen sighed through their digitally modified speakers which were accompanied by the sound of static, it was hard to tell how they felt during situations like these as they were given no indication towards their discomfort as their digitally animated eyes could only move around it's shiny and slick black dome without changing it's dimensioned in any way so they kind of look apathetic... now, _that_ was an interesting fact that Izuku had to write down.

Deciding to finish the show, Thirteen proceeded to bow, their puffy arms served wide to the right gesturing the end of a grand performance. "Thank you for listening, that is all I have to say, good luck future heroes!" The rescue proficient hero proclaimed. A round of applause and cheer was heard as the class exploded in excitement.

"Wow, thirteen is so cool!"

"I can't wait to get started!"

"Yeah, their knowledge on the topic is nothing to scoff at."

"Yes! They are definitely experienced in rescue operations, the level of inspiration and wisdom those words provide can only be achieved through years of experience and passion!"

 _The last statement was definitely Iida's..._ The class deadpanned. Observing the overall state of the class, Aizawa rolled his eyes at how irrational they were being by using energy to move around and shout their challenges over the pro hero's speech instead of preparing themselves to start their rescue training. Blinking as he felt the liquid of his specially made eyedrops shimmer onto his eyes, the scarfed man couldn't help but let a small smile. He supposed that being riled up for the challenge was another way of making them give it their all, after all, they needed it.

Upon having the class settle down after a few moments, Aizawa took center stage as Thirteen took a step aside for their colleague to take the spotlight.

"Right, now that that's over, let's begin-" The hairs on his skin stood on edge as a chilled shudder ran down the length of his spine, his blood red eyes widened as a sudden sense of dread overcame him. Turning around abruptly, the students couldn't help but be curious at their normally lax teacher become so tense and serious. It was a rare reaction for the students as they couldn't help but feel a bit on edge as they knew that the man wasn't one for jokes... except for those _rational deceptions_ of his. The man's eyes squinted as they noticed a faint disruption in the formation of the center fountain's water stream. The stage lights that circled the surrounding area of the dome started to short circuit one by one, only leaving the dome being illuminated by the weakened rays of the beige colored panels.

Unease and confusion settled amongst the students as they tentatively stepped closer to the edge of the entrance plaza but was stopped by both Aizawa and Thirteen as they protectively stood in front of the group. Aizawa's gaze hardened as the fountain's jets of water faltered with an even larger interval before it sputtered bursts of water rapidly before ceasing its rhythm, dead.

Thr group waited in dreaded silence as they awaited the clear from the pro heroes to say that they could continue without a hitch, unfortunately for them, the signal never came. In response, a rift in space cleaved open in front of the fountain, inside of the fissure bore a desolate pitch-black shadow as it radiated an aura of perilous dread rippled throughout the entire area. The hole burst open wider until it was large enough for a sickly pale hand to bore through to the outside, reaching out desperately before hinging itself onto the edge of the gate, another hand protruded from the black pit before doing the same as it strenuously tore open the hole wider for what could only be presumably the owner of the hands' head to peek through, soft messy sky blue hair shimmered down their head as another disturbingly similar hand clamped on the man's face. His crazed and bloodshot ruby red eyes bore deep into the souls of the students as his gaze was held onto theirs unwavering.

"H-hey, what's happening? Has the training started already?" Kirishima asked tentatively as he took a hesitant step forward, only to be rebuked by Aizawa. "Stay back." He reprimanded as he adjusted his golden slitted goggles over his eyes, he took a deep breath as he thought out his plan of attack, taking into account the students' and the enemy's position. He turned to his colleague who awaited his orders, "Thirteen, I need you to protect the students!" The hero in question nodded in affirmation as they took the vanguard position in front of the class.

The portal expanded immensely, covering a large amount of area as more imposing figures emerged from the pitch-black screen. Their features varied from one another but they all shared the same aura of danger, The pale man with blue hair stepped out into the open, he wore plain black clothes, red sneakers and guess what, _even more, hands_. Beside him was a humanoid and avian hybrid which towered over the man as it's slick black skin bulged with rippling muscles and deep red scars blemished the monstrosity's skin.

Aizawa's face scrunched up and contorted into an expression of exasperation. The situation before him was weighed in the enemy's favor by a landslide, the situation would most likely require backup. The pro-hero turned around, a mass of fearful and hesitant eyes met his own as the students froze in place. Aizawa sighed, he couldn't blame them for an experience this early in the year but he needed them to be at their best if they wanted to survive. "Listen up everyone." He shouted, gaining the full attention of everyone on the plaza. "This is real, and those people down there are villains." He mentioned bluntly putting some students off edge at the revelation. A collective gasp roused from the class as a sudden wave of panic and unease washed over them, Mineta shook in his boots as he looked like he was about to cry.

The black-haired man turned towards Kaminari, "Kaminari, I need you to see if you can get in contact with Yuuei." He ordered as the electric blond nodded in affirmation before tapping a few buttons into his headset receiver. To his surprise, all he got in reply was a low buzzing noise as the connection failed. A frown fell on his face as he shook his head to confirm that there was no way of communicating though wireless connection. Aizawa grunted in annoyance at the discovery that they didn't have any means of backup to tackle the situation at hand.

Uraraka was the next to speak as she tentatively stepped forward towards the astronautic hero. "Thirteen, why aren't any alarms going off?" She inquired, fear seeping into her voice, Izuku couldn't help but feel just as worried as she was. The hero turned their helmet towards the rosy-cheeked brunette before looking back at the round dome in speculation "Good question... I'm not entirely sure..."

Surprisingly Todoroki was the one to speak up as he put a hand to his chin in thought. "Hmm, if the alarm sensors aren't being triggered by their sudden appearance, then it's likely that one of these villans have a quirk that's masking their presence here." The thought had made sense as there were murmurs of agreement in the crowd, Todoroki looked up from his thoughtful position as his hand rested back at his side. "They carefully chose this isolated facility as an entry point at the time a class was being taught ... they're fools for trespassing here but it's obvious that they've planned this out, whatever it is, they bust have a concrete objective in mind ... but what is it?" The question had caught everyone off guard and most were starting to get even more anxious from the knowledge gained from the heterochromatic haired boy's valid observation.

Aizawa nodded before walking in front of the group. "A valid observation Todoroki but for now, our main priority is to evacuate all of the students from the villain's range of attack. Thirteen, I need you to try and escort the students out of the facility but be careful, we don't know if they have reinforcements outside. Call for backup when possible, I'll be counting on you Kaminari for that." He ordered as he pulled his scarf loosely from his neck as he wrapped them around his fist. Recognising what the man was about to do, Izuku spoke up against the action with a hint of desperation in his voice. "You can't go down there and fight them, Aizawa sensei! There's too many of them for you to handle on your own, even if you can nullify their quirks, your fighting style is not suited for this! Your quirk works the best in stealth and one on one fights, it's not going to help when up against a group. Izuku reasoned but his response was immediate and snappy.

"You can't be a pro if you only have one trick."

The single line made Izuku pause as he looked at the man with confusion but also with anticipation. The man then turned to Thirteen. "I'll leave it to you then, Thirteen." The latter nodded before Aizawa nodded back in confirmation, looking back at Izuku, his gaze was held firmly. "Midoriya, this is a life and death situation that requires level-headed and rational thinking to win, remember that okay?" Izuku's head lifted up in admiration as the man walked away. "I'll leave it to you Thirteen." Was all he said as he took a running start to the edge, the erasure hero leaped off the platform to confront the group of enemies that were gathering down below, gripping the strands of his scarf as he descended.

 _So cool..._

* * *

 **Yuuei Room 3-A**

 _Tick... Tick... Tick..._

The clock ticked dreadfully slow as Izumi could only watch as the pointed hands moved after every second's passing. Izuku had left that morning for the Unforeseen Simulation Joint, or USJ for short which coincidentally clashes with famous Universal Studio Japan much to all the students' amusement. Being the caring and protective brother he was, he had sent his little brother a few texts about an hour after his departure to see if everything was holding up okay... but a reply never came and that worried him.

Sitting at his desk, Izumi tapped his finger on his desk repeatedly as he tried to focus on the notes Present-Mic sensei wrote on the whiteboard while yapping about whatever he could find in the textbooks, the man's method of teaching plus his radio DJ persona was something to behold as it never failed to make the class laugh when he came up with a funny line. However, the lesson he was in right now was pretty laid back as they were just covering over previous topics for an upcoming test. Izumi never really had trouble with his studies as he made sure to study when he needed to, plus his gifted line of logic never failed him when he needed it as he was already considered to be the top of the class in terms of academics.

"Izumi, are you alright? You're awfully fidgety today." A familiar voice inquired beside him, turning his head around he found a familiar bluenette watching him curiously, her mouth curled into a frown as her brows furrowed in worry. Nejire Hado was allocated in the seat to the right of him so they were able to talk to each other often when the situation called for it and he was grateful for her company. He smiled warmly in favor of her concern but his normally bright orange eyes appeared cloudy and distant, "Yeah, I'm alright..." She smiled in reassurance before turning her attention back to her notes.

Present Mic turned around to face the whole class, his cone spiked hair bounced as he tapped the whiteboard for all to see. "And that's-"

* _Ding dong.*_

His statement was suddenly cut off by the lunch bell's intervention, a smile crossed his face as he threw the black marker onto the board's ledge offhandedly without much regard as his job was done for now. He straightened his leather jacket as he collected the few books that lay on his table, "Ah well, looks like class is over, make sure to study for the upcoming test." He spastically maneuvered his body around before pointing his index fingers towards the class then to the door, a sly toothy grin on his face. "Dismissed, Yeah!" The blond man stuck his hands in his pockets as he whistled to himself, engrossed in the idea of what he was going to have for lunch.

Izumi sighed as he collected his textbooks and pens together and carefully placed them into his backpack, he couldn't shake off the nagging feeling that something was wrong, perhaps he should talk with principal Nezu about the topic, though it would probably best if he didn't mention how distracted he was during class because of his hunch. A familiar shade of blue entered his vision as he found Nejire standing beside him, her expression concerned at the boy's unusual behavior. 'Nejire..."

The girl in question pulled up her own chair to sit down at his table, lying on her folded arms over his desk, she looked up at him with a blank expression, her sea blue eyes bore through his soul as he couldn't help but look away awkwardly and squirm under her soft gaze. "So, what's up?" She asked, her voice was slightly muffled by her arms as her pale cheeks rested comfortably in her hold. "Umm..." Nejire giggled in amusement, a smile bloomed on her face as she winked at him cutely, "Worried about your little brother, Izumi?" She teased, the boy blushed but gave her an affirmative nod with a small smile making her smile brighter. "Yeah, he hasn't been reading my texts since this morning, he usually texts me back whenever he has the chance to and perhaps he's just busy but I have this nagging sort of feeling that something's wrong." Her smile fell into a small frown, Izumi felt guilty for downing the mood with a bombshell but it was something that he felt he needed to share. She sat up from his desk as she stood her cheek on the palm of her hand, her gaze turned to look out the window, far over the hills stood the USJ in it's glory, though it's stature appeared small from the distance, all of the second and third year students knew otherwise as the place itself was massive. Strands of blue hair fell onto the sides of her face but she didn't seem to mind it too much.

He smiled serenely as he reached out to brush the strands of hair that dangled in front of her face behind her ear, she giggled as he did so with a soft blush blossoming on her cheeks. "Hehe, thanks." He nodded, seemingly pleased with the way her hair was. "No problem."

"If you think that they're in trouble, I think that it would be best to report it to the teachers." She concluded, Izumi nodded in agreeance. "Mm, that would probably best." She nodded back before her expression formed into one of a sudden realization, she grabbed her bag before placing it on top of her lap as she rummaged around the insides while Izumi looked at her curiously. "Aha!" She exclaimed as she pulled out and presented her notebook to him. In response, Izumi tilted his head curiously at the colorful and vibrant item which certainly said a lot about Nejire as it's cover was filled to the brim with various stickers of different kinds and brands, it was cute.

Her cheeks suddenly adorned a light pink hue as her svelte form shrunk, her gaze seemed attracted at the sight of her feet as she shifted awkwardly, bracing her for what she was about to say next. "Um, I wanted to ask you if you could spend some time with me to go over some of these notes." She lifted her head to meet his gaze, her cheeks forming a solid red. "I-I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to..." While Nejire is often described to be unmovably exuberant and curious, her classmates have all noticed how much she could be at a loss for words or weak in the knees she can be with Izumi around, which came as a surprise for all of them when they first met, despite being together for a year now. She dared to look up to gauge the amber-eyed boy's reaction, he appeared to be unresponsive as he just gazed at her endlessly with a blank expression. She awkwardly smiled as she squirmed under his gaze, soon after, a fierce blush took over his face as he became a stuttering mess, a feature that could commonly be attributed to the Midoriya family. "O-of, c-s-sure!" He sputtered out louder than he had expected which had unfortunately gained the attention of any remaining classmates within the vicinity, Izumi covered his mouth immediately after in embarrassment to stop himself from making a mess any further. Nejire felt her awkward tendencies wash away as a bright smile broadened across her face in its stead. Izumi took in a deep breath to steady himself as he smiled back in kind, "Sure, I don't mind, we're f-friends after all!" He ended in a much more controlled manner.

Several students behind them snickered, "You mean Girlfriend and Boyfriend, don't ya Midoriya?" One of them shouted in a teasing manner, causing the two to freeze in place with heavy blushes on their faces. While they had known how befuddled the two were around each other when it came to private topics, their banter and teasing were recognized as only that, there wasn't any ill intention thrown at them as they were familiar with their behavior but only mean good by it and the two were grateful for that... even if it meant that they would continue to do so for the rest of their lives.

"Cut it out guys, you shouldn't tease them so often." A male student with messy purple hair that faded to black towards the tips, his apathetic golden eyes appeared tired and mostly just done. A female student with scarlet red hair pouted "That's no fair Murasaki-kun!" The tired student rolled his eyes before taking his leave out of the class "Whatever Akiyama.", the scarlet-haired girl known as Akiyama folded her arms to her chest but still retained the same wide grin as she walked up and patted Nejire on the shoulder in apology before also taking her leave as she walked out of the class in a high-spirited and peppy manner.

"Hey, guys!" A familiar voice called out to them as Togata and Tamaki walked up to them after they seemingly finished copying down Present Mic-sensei's notes from the whiteboard, both holding their notebooks in their hands. Togata stood beside Izumi before placing his hands on his desk in a casual manner, "Hey Midoriya, could you help us study? We're both having a bit of trouble understanding it..." Togata said admittedly as his gaze shifted to the side in shame, turning his head to Tamaki, the socially awkward student appeared to be doing the same with a pleading smile. "I'd also like some help... if you don't mind, Midoriya."

Blinking in surprise, he relaxed his posture before nodding in agreeance, "Of course, Nejire was just asking for my help as well." He directed his hand to the girl sitting in front of him, Nejire blushed lightly as she smiled awkwardly as she twiddled her thumbs back and forth. Tamaki noticed her reaction and gave her a teasing but knowing smile while Togata just laughed. "Well alright then, let's discuss our plan over lunch!" Togata announced, which elicited a nod from both Nejire and Tamaki. Izumi, however, shook his head with an apologetic smile, "Sorry guys, I need to talk with Principal Nezu over something, we can discuss this later in the group chat." Togata and Tamaki tilted their heads to the side curiously. "Is something wrong?" Tamaki asked in which Izumi gave a light shrug in reply, "To be honest, I'm not sure?"

"What do you mean?" Togata inquired as he placed a hand to his chin in thought before an idea sparked in his mind as he slammed his hands on Izumi's desk, "Don't tell me that you're actually failing in class like us and are bribing the principal into giving you good grades are you?!" He asked in a melodramatic fashion. Tamaki huffed, "Mirio, you're the only one in our group that has serious trouble academically." He muttered, in response, the cowlick blond staggered back playfully, "Tamaki, that's mean!" Izumi laughed before shaking his head in denial "Fortunately, no, I'm not failing but I'm just worried about Izuku." The two stopped as they looked at him curiously, "Hm? You mean your brother?" Togata inquired to which he received a nod in response. "Yeah, they had a trip over to the USJ today." He mentioned as the others smiled in reminiscence of their own experiences in the large dome, luckily for all of them, it was a learning experience that proved to be extremely valuable for their endeavor of becoming heroes. Izumi looked out through the window, "But I haven't been able to get in contact with him since this morning..." He turned his attention towards his cupped hands, "I'm worried." He stated simply.

A warm hand coveted over his own as he looked up to find Nejire smiling warmly, her presence always did have a comforting effect on him and she never failed to lift his spirit. The other two, however, exchanged worried glances before they returned their attention back towards the two in front of them. "Then I believe notifying principal Nezu is a good idea, if they're really in trouble then you have no time to waste." Tamaki summarised, Togata nodded in agreement, "We'll hear from you again soon okay?" Izumi smiled before standing up, "Of course."

Quickly packing his things, the group hurried over into the hallway where the paths split. "Midoriya, don't forget to notify the teachers if there is something going on, okay?" Tamaki mentioned, "Yeah, and don't forget to call us either!" Togata added eagerly as he patted his biceps, the amber-eyed boy chuckled before nodding in affirmation, "Sure thing, I'll see you guys later okay?" The two boys nodded before walking off, as Izumi himself turned around, he felt a hand grab his wrist softly in an attempt to stop him. Turning around, he found Nejire standing behind him with a hesitant look on her face. "Izumi, I-" He smiled, walking up to her, he pressed his lips softly on her light blue bangs, eliciting a soft squeak from the girl. Moving backward, he placed his hand on her cheek as he gave her a bright smile to which she did the same, "Come back safe, okay?" She asked, he sighed in hesitantly but continued to smile for her "I'll do my best." She nodded in understanding as the two parted from each other, saying their goodbyes, she could only watch as his back faded into the depths of the long hallway until his presence had diminished entirely.

 _Be safe..._

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **This is the first part of the USJ arc in Blood brothers, I hope you guys like this latest chapter, I worked into it late into the night until 12:30 (again) which probably isn't healthy but whatever.**

 **So if you hadn't noticed, I had decided to start adding more OCs to class 3-A, so I have quite a few on the roster but any suggestions you guys have will be welcomed with open arms (as long as they're not godlike) Though their development as characters will probably come about in a much later date.**

 **For the next chapter I plan on making a fight scene which I'm excited about, I've never tried it before but I hope you guys will enjoy it.**

 **Anyways thanks for reading so far, I'll keep updating my previous chapters if I think they could improve and please leave a review! any notes or suggestions, as well as criticism, is welcomed with open arms here.**

 **(I also plan on having some development with Izuku and Katsuki in the next chapter if it goes as I plan but don't worry, it will definitely happen ... at some point.)**

 **Ignis.**


	5. USJ Part 2

**Main road**

Izumi's messy green tipped black hair flowed freely and wildly in the air as he watched the landscape blur below him, the shimmering leaves of the trees and grass path were soothing to watch and the ocean that sat behind the USJ center glistened beautifully as the rushing waves collided against the shore below the dome. While the scene before him was enjoyable to watch, he had a job he needed to do. Grunting, Izumi prepared himself to increase his speed as his brightened orange eyes sparked with a current of electricity which left a residual trail behind him before his burst forward at an even greater speed. The principal and the students of 1-A were counting on him, he had a duty to attend to.

He remembered the office where Izumi explained his worries to the dapperly dressed rodent very well. The room itself had quite a distinguished and dignified impression as the walls were lined with hard wooden cased bookshelves that loomed over the people below it, the atmosphere cast a shadow from the glass-paned window that was seated behind Nezu's personal desk. Izumi supposed that it did make sense that such an intelligent creature such as Nezu himself would find himself encased in a serene and quiet atmosphere but he didn't know that it would be so massive... perhaps the sprucely chipper principal lived there? Maybe... but that wasn't the point.

Nezu had taken precautions before sending Izumi out, to have a better grasp of the situation, Nezu had tried calling both of their cellphone numbers which fell dead at the buzzer. It was quite the rare sight to see the lively principal display an emotion other than cheer... as well as being occasionally crazed but this time, his face was just blank, his lips narrowed into a small frown. Nezu rubbed his temples with his bare paws as he sighed in frustration, not at Izumi but at the fact that he was careless enough to let their guard down at a time that could be fatal to the school's reputation if they were to be attacked now, he had a responsibility to protect the students with all, there was no telling what they'd do if the villains had succeeded. They could kill them... or worse.

The memories of various coloured liquids and syringes protruding from his body had always haunted him during the ends of night, wires and needles bore deep into his unkempt fur and skin, monitors stationed beside him often buzzed with an intense green light that hurt his eyes, a bright light flashed above him like a false heaven, he begged to just be taken away from the pain he felt only to be met with shadows looming above him to have their fun with his insides. Nezu shuddered at the thought, he couldn't allow that to happen.

No one deserved to have experienced what had happened to him.

Nezu paced around the room planning his options, his paw on his chin. While their chances would be best to send all of their forces at once to deal with the threat, they had no absolute confirmation if the students were really under attack or not as well as the fact that it would be unwise to cause a panic if they were to activate a code red and send all available the teachers there at once, which would leave the school's defences weaker... That was a risk he wasn't willing to take. If they _are_ attacking the USJ, it could be a ploy to leave the school's defenses unable to hold against a bigger, larger force... but who in their right minds would do that?

They're just villains... but even villains can outsmart heroes at times. The incident with the disintegrated gate couldn't have just been a coincidence or a mistake, it was a declaration for something bigger. It was frustrating but he had to send Midoriya alone.

Despite being only one person, Nezu had recognized and acknowledged Midoriya's potential in the art of capture and combat due to the capabilities of his powerful quirk. The amber-eyed student had been a trustworthy student and friend that had opted to help him whenever he needed. Midoriya had been known to be one of the most powerful students throughout the whole of Tokyo and possibly the world, his potential has been ranked to even match those of the famed Big three of Yuuei which was quite the statement. Even if he constantly denies this, this only proved to show how much of an earnest, honest and hard working person he was which made him an extremely valuable asset.

The groomed rodent turned towards the much taller student before him, Nezu's face stern.

"Midoriya, I want you to suit up and scout the USJ to confirm the conclusion of whether or not the students are under danger or not, you are to call us immediately when you can confirm this and you are to assist in any way, understood?" The green and black haired teen nodded in affirmation. "Understood." He acknowledged, Nezu nodded his thanks before walking up to the large window at the end of the large room, his hands folded behind his back as he stared at the green plains that lay in front of him. "Remember, the safety of the children lies in your as well as Aizawa and Thirteen's hands, so please, hurry."

" _Of course._ "

A brilliant flash of orange light soared through the clear blue sky at a fixed speed, the domed top of the Unforeseen Simulation Joint in its sights. Izumi had donned his hero suit under the order's of Principal Nezu to investigate the current situation of the USJ and the status of the students and teachers being Aizawa and Thirteen. Izumi's hero suit fashioned from a jet-black bodysuit outlined with a neon glowing orange composition scheme with fist-sized metal caps modulated around his torso, legs, and arms to help regulate and control his electrokinetic repulsion from the ground enabling him to essentially levitate and fly anywhere with ease.

Along with this, his arms and legs were fashioned with a partial protective electric resistant leather layering on his arms and torso with gaps and holed around his tendons and ligaments before black lightweight metallic armor plates with golden lining fixed on over it, giving him a more general and broad conductor for his limbs as well as keeping his appendages loose and free to move without any restraint. On top of it was a large yet lightweight short sleeved jacket with a tall collar, it was heavily lined with orange and gold designs with a primarily black template. It also came with a random but surprisingly fitting kitsune mask as "headgear" protection though he had to admit, he really did enjoy wearing it, it made him feel like a ninja of some sorts at times. The support division had come up with the designs referencing something about a game? He wasn't sure...

Nonetheless, he had to give it to them, the support department had done a great job with it.

"Hm?"

Izumi's train of thought was interrupted as he picked up the faint noise of rapid and heavy footsteps which appeared to be approaching his position, further investigation led to finding a torrent of dust clouds heading towards him as he stopped his momentum. His eyes widened curiously as his amber irises scanned the perimeter to stop upon a young blue haired boy running desperately to what he could only assume to be Yuuei, the deep blue-haired boy wore what appeared to be a white knight like armor with a pair of large steel thrusters at his torso, he appeared to be wearing silver-rimmed glasses that adorned his stern yet worried face as he ran desperately with perfect form at unnatural speeds. Though the sight of the hurried bluenette had sparked a sense of recognition as his details became oddly familiar.

"... Is that...?" He muttered to himself curiously to no-one in particular.

Izuku nodded with a bright smile on his face. Izuku, Inko and him were sat at the dinner table as Izuku talked about his academic studies and exploits of friendship. "Yeah, I got to first meet Iida-kun and Uraraka-san during the entrance exams, they were really nice!" Izumi nodded cheerfully, a smile adorned his face as the mention of Izuku's friends had peaked his interest. "At first I thought that Iida was a kind of strict and mean person, I found out that he had just misunderstood my personality because I kept stuttering when I talked..." Izuku muttered embarrassedly but perked up upon realizing that he had made a bad impression of his actually good friend as he could see a frown spread to Inko and Izumi's faces, the broccoli haired boy waved his arms wildly to deny his claim of Iida's rather blunt personality. "B-But he's a good guy, I promise! He's just very straightforward and earnest person, even if he's blunt, dense and jumps to conclusions most of the time..."

Izumi chuckled, "Is that so? Well, at least he seems nice, so good on you Izukun." Inko nodded before adding in her own two coins of motherly love "That's great! I'm so proud of you my son, you've grown up so much." Izuku blushed at the shower of compliments he got from his family as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, an awkward but happy smile on his freckled face. While he had already met Uraraka on a visit to thank her for saving Izuku, he found out that the girl was quite pleasant and nice. It made him happy that Izuku had found such a good and caring friend. Though at the mention of the name Iida, Izumi couldn't help but feel like he had heard the name before... He perked up as his eyes shone with a realization as he turned towards Izuku curiously, "Your friend Iida wouldn't happen to be the brother of Ingenium would he?" Izumi inquired.

Izuku's eyes brightened at the mention of the famous pro hero, he turned to his brother and nodded furiously with a proud smile. "Yeah, he said that he was the youngest in the family." Izumi nodded, before placing a hand on his chin. "I see. You know, I've actually met Ingenium once when he was asked to have a lecture for the hero classes when he was considered to be a _rising star_." He reminisced.

"He must be proud to have such a cool brother," Izumi concluded, Izuku nodding in agreement. A sly smirk crossed his face as Izumi ruffled Izuku's hair, "But I think it's even cooler to have someone like you as my brother!"

A soft smile fell on his face. Izumi flipped his legs forward as to slow his momentum to a manageable speed before he started descending towards Iida and waved to him to assure his status as an ally rather than a threat. Upon reaching seeing him reach the ground, the bifocal bluenette halted his run as he approached Izumi, his eyes panicked with a desperate hope. Iida placed his hands on his knees in exhaustion as he panted heavily, his body heaved up and down as Izumi rushed over to help the young aspiring hero. "Hey, are you okay?" Izumi asked concerned, his mask muffling his voice slightly. Despite him still heavily breathing, Iida nodded solemnly before standing straight before taking one last deep breath to stabilize his breathing before sighing in relief. "Yes I am, thank you..."

"..." He seemed to stare at the upperclassman in front of him with a blank expression on his face, his brows furrowed. A moment after he adjected his glasses to fit better on his face as he squinted slightly to get a good look at him as his appearance triggered a sense of familiarity due to the tuft of green and black hair poking out behind the mask.

"..."

"... um..."

"Are you by chance, of relation to Midoriya?" Iida queried with a sudden enthusiasm. Even though it was a shot in the dark, Iida had heard the news of his good friend having a brother like himself from both Izuku and surprisingly Uraraka, there was also the fact that having green hair was quite uncommon attribute that was commonly associated with his socially awkward friend. Izumi blinked twice at the question but he supposed that the connection wasn't unexpected as he rubbed the back of his head, "Um... yes?" The bluenette nodded in recognition of this revelation, his arms folded to furthen the aura of his distinct and earnest character. "Putting that aside, why are you out here, Iida-kun?" Izumi asked in hopes of getting straight to the point. In response, Iida's expression turned into one of a mix of realization and horror as he slapped his face in irritation of his forgetfulness.

"Yes, of course. To summarize, we're under attack by a large group that called themselves the ' _League of Villains_ ', I was able to escape the facility to call for backup thanks to the help of my friends but... I'm not sure how much time we have left." A frown fell on Izumi's face, _so it's true..._

The older of the two nodded as he recognized the potential danger of the situation that they were about to enter, his expression appeared to be deep in thought before he turned his attention back to Iida. "Okay then, the two of us will head back to the USJ to provide support for Aizawa and Thirteen. I'm going to need you to fill me in when we head over there and I'll call for reinforcements from Yuuei so we'll have to hold them off until they arrive, is that fine with you?" He concluded, Iida nodded his head in approval. "Yes, it's a sound plan. I can see where Midoriya got his sense of tactical skill from." Izumi chuckled, "Eh, he always did have a sharp mind so I wouldn't say it was because of my influence." He replied offhandedly, Iida nodded in understanding, a small smile formed on the edge of his lips as he could see an image of Tensei in the student before him.

As the two proceeded to head back to the USJ, Izumi pulled out his cell phone before dialing a number quickly on the touchscreen, soon after, he placed the device next to his ear, his expression grim. A sudden buzzed occurred as the person on the receiving end picked up.

"Hello?" A deep voice asked.

"All Might, we need your help."

* * *

 **USJ - Shipwreck Zone shore**

Izuku muttered to himself distractedly as he was currently deeply absorbed in thought as he surveyed the immediate surrounding area. The lower half of his torso was soaking wet as it was still submerged in the small lake known as the shipwreck zone, though they were close to reaching the shore as the depth of the water shallowed. Izuku's teeth clenched in grimace as a surge of pain coursed through his middle finger and thumbs up to his forearms. He had earlier covered up his bruised and broken fingers with a handy armpad on his elbow which thankfully was large enough to cover the length of his hand. While the action was an attempt to put pressure onto it and prevent it from making any unnecessary movements or prevent any minor scratches from reaching his skin, it hurt, a lot but pain was something that Izuku had already gotten used to for better or for worse.

Beside him, Tsuyu Asui the frog girl of 1-A walked beside him with a passive and non-reactive expression on her face per the usual with her lengthy tongue wrapped securely around Mineta's small body. His head bobbed above the water as he was pulled along with them while he gloated about how effective his _sticky balls_ were due to a... ahem, let's leave it at that for now.

The three were lucky enough to survive their deadly encounter as they were previously stranded on a considerably large ship which had unfortunately fallen at the hands of a villain with a rather interesting water manipulation quirk. Thanks to Izuku's quick thinking as well as Mineta's desperate attack of launching as many sticky balls that his scalp could handle, the trio had been able to successfully subdue and capture all the villains in the surrounding area as the group of struggling bodies floated aimlessly across the water.

"*Ribbit* are you okay, Midoriya?" Tsuyu inquired concerned for her friend as she pointed towards his covered hand. He smiled gratefully before nodding to relieve her worries, "Y-yeah, I'm fine..." He answered awkwardly causing the frog girl to blink before nodding back. As the three turned to look over the edge of the shore, a chain of explosions could be heard from the different sections. While most of the other zones weren't of interest, the mountain and main plaza that sat in the center of the USJ appeared to have the most action going on as far as he could tell though that was most likely a bad thing. Pillars of dirt emerged from the central plaza which was constructed to resemble a small city park with green footing and trees with concrete paths. A large explosion took place at the staircase to the area as a familiar figure flipped backward out from the clouds of dust and dirt parrying the oncoming attacks of the villainous thugs.

The trio's eyes widened upon setting their sights upon the man as Tsuyu placed a finger on her chin "That's Aizawa sensei." She noted as Izuku nodded in confirmation, his emerald green eyes were glued to the scene in front of him, analyzing every piece of data he could obtain in a desperate to form a plan. Mineta's previously proud attitude morphed into one of fear as he remembered that they were still in danger, the diaper-clad boy shook in the water as his confidence wavered. "W-what are w-we supposed t-to d-do?"

Izuku sighed, as obvious as it were, the situation wasn't good for them. He turned to the other two with him. "Getting reinforcements should be our first priority." He then pointed towards the entrance plaza which didn't appear to have any sort of movement, at least as far as he could tell from where he stood at the current moment. Taking another look at the surrounding area, the pathway that led towards their target was clear for the most part, though there were a few villains loitering around, they didn't appear to be too focused at the moment, rather they kept watch on the center stage, the battle between the erasure hero Eraser head and the various groups of villains who took their turn in an attempt to take the pro hero's life.

Tsuyu nodded, "Yeah, that's probably the best idea for us to survive this." Mineta started crying again as his eyes started welling up but prevented himself from splashing around but put his hands out to emphasize his fear. "Don't say that like we're going to d-!" He complained before the frog girl placed a firm hand on top of his mouth to prevent him from blabbering further as the outburst had gained slight attention from the surrounding villains.

"Quick, duck," Izuku whispered. Tsuyu complied and brought Mineta down with her who shivered in fear.

Luckily enough, the few villains who took notice of the noise had dismissed it as if it had no importance after a scarce and minor search of the surrounding area which had thankfully not crossed over into their territory which had mysteriously had a missing boat and comrades which were likely at the other end of the lake. It did surprise him that the sentry villains had not taken notice of such a huge change but he had brushed it off at the thought that the enemies weren't that intelligible enough or rather they were just bored or tired and the expressions that covered just about most of the villains who weren't in the middle of combat had looked like that they were just done and wanted to go home, he couldn't blame them, he wanted to go home too.

The three sighed a breath of relief as the villain's suspicion had faded. "If we follow the shore to the exit, then we can avoid the central plaza entirely." Izuku proposed as he pointed towards a clearing next to them which provided the cover of a few trees which had plenty if shadow to mask their presence. Tsuyu nodded and Mineta followed suit, albeit at a much faster rate. Tsuyu placed a finger to her chin with her tongue slightly sticking out as a force of habit. "Hmm, that's a good idea. Then we don't have to encounter the villains Mr. Aizawa is facing over there..."

The three turned their heads to observe Aizawa's fight. Izuku's fist clenched slightly, he didn't want to leave him behind, it would be unbecoming of him as a hero... but gathering reinforcements would help solve the problem entirely with much more ease. The tired teacher had narrowly avoided a blow from a villain who attempted to take him by surprise, though his actions were only met with a bandage-like fabric wrapping around him and receiving a hard punch to the face, rendering them unconscious. The sight of his homeroom teacher standing on top of the countless defeated villains was an inspiring image, fighting hard to protect his students to the best of his abilities. But he could tell that he was running out of energy, fast. His breathing became more labored, his reaction speed has slowed and his movement speed has taken a hit as he had tried to conserve his movements to a single spot to defend himself.

Worry was evident in his emerald-green eyes, his brows furrowed considerably as his face scrunched up in thought and unease. _He's overexerting himself... Can he handle all of them on his own? How long can he last against a group like that..._ His attention was drawn to the cast of villains who faced his teacher. While most of the ones who were attacking the man at the current moment appeared to be low-level thugs, there were three figures who stood to the side, watching the battle carefully. The first two had the most stand-out characteristics.

The first was the large bird-like monstrosity which towered over all of the other villains that they were surrounded by. The second was a man with pale blue hair, attachable hands were gripping his arms, neck, and face but he didn't appear to be bothered by their presence as the man scratched his neck in an irritated fashion. The third one, however, was cloaked in a tattered black garment, a hood and mask had covered their face with a blue-hued lined design glowing on both their mask and their cloak. Despite not looking as ' _threatening'_ as the other two in the pure sense of hostility, the figure emanated an aura of mystery and coldness which had sent a shiver down his spine.

He was torn, despite what his logical sense told him, his heroic side that All Might and Yuuei had worked to nurture had wanted to burst out and help his teacher in need. However, the more _rational_ side of him was to ensure that backup would come, though it wasn't out of the question that someone else had already been sent to gather back up. It was a risky decision... This wasn't about proving himself, this was about the survival of everyone in the class... but what was the right choice?

He gathered his resolve as his eyes glistened with determination, he was the leader in this situation and he needed to make the call. "He's in trouble... we can't leave him behind, we need to help him." Izuku's voice trembled under the pressure of the situation but his intention was clear. Mineta nearly drowned at the statement. "Wha- W-wait, don't tell me that we're..." Izuku didn't respond or spare him a glance, his calm eyes were locked onto the main plaza.

Mineta pointed his finger at Izuku accusingly, a fearful look in his eyes. "Are you trying to get us killed or something?!" Tsuyu tilted her head, her tongue still sticking out, "* _Ribbit*_ " She had to admit, she was curious as to what he was thinking. While it was admirable that the broccoli haired boy had wanted to save their teacher and at least lighten his load, what she thought was the most logical choice was to regroup and gather reinforcements first.

"While I don't think that we can win with our numbers at the current moment... but I believe that we should at least do something to help, even if our efforts could just lighten his load just a little-" His sentence was suddenly interrupted by a loud clap of thunder in the distance, followed by a bright discharge of orange lightning like heaven's calling. The three's heads snapped towards where the light originated from, Izuku's eyes shone brightly as he recognized that familiar shade of electric orange.

 _He's_ here. A smile of hope crept onto his face as his friends turned to look at him quizzically. He flashed them a confident wide grin, accompanied with a thumbs up.

"I think help has arrived."

The villains before them also took notice of the sudden interruption, the blue-haired man halted his attack on his neck as he slumped forward for a moment in thought before turning his head to his cloaked companion beside him. Izuku couldn't hear what he said but the cloaked figure appeared to sigh before nodding in affirmation. His eyes widened upon seeing the figure shimmer and turn transparent as his form splashed to the ground before the puddle traversed over up the staircase with ease and incredible speed.

What are they planning?

* * *

Deep in the landslide terrain zone, Shoto Todoroki, the mysterious and calm student who got into Yuuei through recommendations walked through the gallery of still and frozen figures. A cold and heartless expression on his face as he pondered upon the information that he had gathered.

While most of the villains he had encountered earlier had been pushovers, he had discovered that the group's plan was to _kill_ All Might. As ridiculous as it sounded, the plan itself was thought out to a degree and he knew from experience that villains weren't to be taken lightly, no matter how minor or small they are. He had never heard of the _League of Villains_ before so he could only assume that it was a newly formed group, though it surprised him that they had so many members, even if most of them were just low common thugs. While some of them could be considered to be slightly above the rest in terms of skill or experience, they didn't have anything against the training his father had drilled into him since he was four.

There were only a few people in the opposing group which he could consider as a true threat or at least a dangerous unknown variable. The warp quirk user, the man covered in hands, the avian humanoid hybrid beast and the mysterious cloaked figure that stood beside them all watching patiently. While most of the thugs bore intimidating looks, they didn't hold a candle to the murderous and malevolent aura that they bore. Though since he was separated from the rest of the group, he had no way of discerning how much of a threat they were... and who was to kill All Might.

Todoroki pinched the bridge between his brows in frustration as he sighed a breath of chilled air. A burst of bright orange lightning emerged from the entrance plaza as he looked in surprise and shock, something uncommon for the usually cool student. A small but rare smile tugged at his lips as he recognized the familiar flare of electricity.

So _he's_ here, I think our chances of survival just got better _..._

* * *

 **Entrance Plaza**

Kurogiri grumbled as he was suspended in the air due to that brown haired girl with rosy cheek's quirk. While he was surprised that a student had such a powerful quirk, he was more than irritated that he had fallen under the power of it and was now unable to reach the ground until he had unclasped his protective neck armor. He had failed to prevent that blue haired student with the engine quirk from escaping and it was more than likely that he would bring back up with him at any minute.

Kurogiri's hands fumbled with the latches and locks on his protector but had found himself struggling to get all of them off, he was already feeling slightly sick from dangling around in the air as being airborne was something that he didn't enjoy.

* _Click*_

"There we go." He muttered in frustrated relief. While many in the League had wondered what was under the man's neck protector as he would keep it on under any circumstances, including when he showers. As he stood, though no-one was there to see it, was... yet another neck protector.

... Yep...

"It's a good thing I come prepared, I can't have my only protection be defeated so easily... though perhaps it would be a good idea to have the lock be a bit less time-consuming to take off... only for these situations of course." He muttered to himself as he scouted the perimeter as he held onto the piece of metal. He silently cursed himself for not thinking of the possibility of needing to take his protection off in a hurry, he knew that there was a possibility that an enemy could possibly detach his only protection leaving him vulnerable but he had not thought of such a thing. It was a shame too, he liked that one...

Kurogiri sighed, releasing the still floating piece of metal as he started to descend. He was out for revenge. "Those little brats... I'll make them suffer." His attention was suddenly brought to the large doors of the USJ bursting open as a familiar blue head entered alongside a black and green-haired boy who appeared to be a few years older than the former. "Who-?" He wasn't able to finish his sentence as the older student took notice of Kurogiri, he suddenly found himself face to face with a bright light blinding his vision as his body flared with pain. "Grk!" He sputtered out as his body fell at a much faster rate, his senses were offline but he could feel that his neck was the strongest point of where the paralysis spread, he couldn't think clearly but he felt he was able to breathe meaning that the person who attacked him had controlled the paralysis to not seriously damage his vital organs.

All the points led to his capture being the work of a hero. It was a basic principle in hero society that villains were not allowed to be killed by their hands under any circumstances as the court was the ones who decided their ultimate fate, not them. Though this rule was something that was often taken advantage of by villains as making a hero kill would strip them of their title and make them worth no less than the ones they work to fight.

As he felt his senses coming back ever so slightly, Kurogiri risked moving his head a little bit more to get a better view of what he was dealing with... and immediately regretted it. The minor action reactivated the burst of pain he felt earlier making his back arch as he howled in pain. Despite this, he did actually manage to catch a glimpse of their new guest.

A boy stood before him... or at least he assumed so from their broad shoulders and their flat chest, boy he knew some people who would get pretty upset about making assumptions like that but he couldn't really make the effort to care at this particular moment as he fell. The boy wore partly covering metallic plates of armor on his arms, legs, and torso. A large short sleeve jacket and a white kitsune mask adorned their face, making their facial features indiscernible apart from his glowing eyes. A custom-made compound bow in his grasp pointed towards his limp body despite not having any arrows nocked. He had a lean figure and his head displayed a mop of black and green hair was partly covered by their mask, though that particular feature reminded him of one of the students he had warp gated to one of the rescue zones. Izuku Midoriya if he remembered correctly...

But what had inspired curiosity was his icy cold amber orange eyes that sparked to life with wild trails of electricity. He saw a calm, rational but unforgiving anger, the darkness that emanated from the pit of his pupil felt like a dark spike piercing his soul. He shuddered under his gaze as his expression was controlled but the frown that tugged at his lips told him all he needed to tell how he felt, though what surprised him was that he felt an odd sense of familiarity with those eyes of his but he couldn't put his finger on it.

But now wasn't the time for that.

The well-dressed man crashed onto the stone tiling, causing him to cry out agony as his body lurched in an even more intense pain. Unfortunately, the boy wasn't so forgiving to give him a chance to take a break as he aimed his bow towards the downed man before a fine charge of electricity formed from its nocking point to its arrow nest. Releasing the bowstring, the charge struck his body immediately but strangely it didn't hurt, instead, he found himself bound by strong and refined chains that glowed a bright orange, he could feel his skin prickling against the bonds as he tried to stay still to avoid further discomfort.

Kurogiri cursed at his carelessness, immediately, the mist covered man attempted to open up a warp gate to escape from this new threat despite his surprisingly potent paralysis. _'I need to reconvene with Shigaraki to reformulate our strategy... we've lost.'_

The hazy purple mist cowled over Kurogiri in an attempt to escape the boy's watch but it didn't go unnoticed by his eyes. Muttering a small apology, his orange eyes brightened with sparks trailing from his irises as he extended an open hand towards him before clenching his fist tightly causing the binds surrounding Kurogiri's body to shrink before bursting into a discharge of fervent lightning. His scream of pain caused some of the students standing nearby to wince, even the boy before him looked slightly apologetic but his actions suggested that he felt otherwise.

He couldn't take it anymore, it was too much. Kurogiri's body slumped onto the floor, barely conscious as his glowing eyes dimmed but were still open. The boy sighed before stepping forward towards him but was stopped by a familiar transparent cloaked figure standing in front of him. Painfully looking up, he saw a familiar set of calm blue eyes watching him from above like an angel.

He couldn't express how much relief he felt at that moment, he could finally take a break.

Kurogiri's eyes dimmed as blackness took over him, he could really use a nap right now.

* * *

The appearance of a new presence put all of the students on high alert as they seemingly came out from nowhere. The translucent structure of this mysterious foe solidified into a cloaked figure, their back facing the cautious student. Taking no chances, Izumi held his bow aimed at the new guest, ready to take a shot when they moved out of line. He could only assume that he was a villain but there was no evidence to prove this theory, he was also responsible for protecting the students that stood behind him, there was no room for failure.

"..."

"..."

The cloaked figure placed a hand on their chin in thought. Izumi wasn't about to let up as his bow sparked to life with a spear of lightning buzzing eagerly as its arrow tip was aimed at the figure in front of it but restrained itself from making pursuit as it rested on it's nestle, awaiting it's master's command to make chase. The cloaked figure appeared to have disregarded his form of a threat as he knelt down to his unconscious comrade without even sparing a glance towards his way. The figure appeared to sigh.

"... You really need to be more careful, Kurogiri-san..." They muttered to the unconscious man who most likely did not hear their advice. Their voice was muffled by their mask that was attached to his face but from the deep tone that it held, he could only assume that this new adversary was a male. As the cloaked figure stood up, he turned towards Izumi in a nonchalant manner before pausing. Their eyes met in a cold stalemate as the two understood the situation they were in. Izumi shifted his position to cover a wider area to protect the freshmen behind him, the figure just seemed to stare at him without speaking as much as a word.

"... It's you..." The cloaked figure muttered, under their breath, barely detectable by the boy in front of him but detected nonetheless. The statement made Izumi's eyes widen in surprise, did he know him? Perhaps... He was a third-year student in Yuuei after all, it's likely that people and villains alike had watched his previous sport festival tournaments, though something told him that their reasons were different.

"Sorry about that, my friend here needs to take a nap. I need to regroup with the others but... well you're in the way, so, I'll have to apologize in advance."

Izumi tilted his head quizzically, "Wh-" The cloaked figure brought out a hand from underneath his heavy garments as a river of water swirled around his forearm, the streak of water turned into a torrent as it burst lively. The figure grunted as they threw the torrent of water towards Izumi, slamming him with great force which pushed the amber-eyed student back with the students. He found himself unable to breathe as the world around him distorted and magnified, placing his hand near his face, he found that his head had been encapsulated by a tank of water. As he looked up, he could make out the image of the cloaked figure lifting Kurogiri onto a plane of water. He turned towards Izumi for a moment of respite before a wave of water lifted him off to likely regroup with their comrades.

"Dammit..." Izumi cursed as he could feel his face start to burn up, his mask was definitely not happening even if it did have attributes similar to that of gas masks... but perhaps... The students ran up with the intention to help him but he waved them away with a warning. "I'm fine but keep your distance." He barely got out, gurgling bubbles of air before his mask sparked with a few strands of lightning, the sphere of water surrounding his head glowed an orange hue, seeing this, the student immediately backed up as their actions were rewarded with being safely kept out of the splash zone of highly charged water. The black and green haired student fell to their knees as they gasped for air, coughing out the remains of water in his lungs.

After a moment's worth of composing himself, Izumi took in a deep breath. "Man, that water was way denser than I had realized..." His attention turned towards the students who looked at him with worry and apprehension. He smiled and waved off their concerns as he hurried over to Thirteen before kneeling beside the unconscious hero, Izumi turned towards Iida who was kneeling next to Thirteen beside him, his expression stern. "How are they? I need a report." The bluenette nodded before adjusting his glasses.

"Fortunately they just suffered some mildly serious lacerations but was in no real danger of dying anytime soon." Izumi sighed in relief as he turned to face the students who had crowded around them, they appeared to share his relief at the revelation. Their tight expressions loosened, releasing a breath that they didn't know they held, some bent over slightly holding their hands over their heart. As expected, he came to the conclusion that the students were most likely split across the USJ training zones from there being only a few students present which was indeed a problem.

The older student turned towards Iida who knelt beside Thirteen, "Iida, I need you to stay with everyone here, as the class representative your top priority is to ensure the safety of the students here." Iida nodded reluctantly, as much as he wanted to help him find the other students and make sure that they are safe and sound, he couldn't ignore the safety of his peers here with him at the current moment. Izumi understood his reluctance on the matter, he himself would most likely want to do the same but he was given the task to protect the students and he couldn't afford to fail here.

A pained cry filled the air sending chills down everyone's spine. The student's attention turned towards the source of the sound to find the gruesome image of Aizawa being pinned down by a strange tar skinned creature that stood intimidatingly over his limp form, the sheer size of the monstrosity would even tower over All Might. Another cry was heard as the avian humanoid snapped his arm causing the students to wince at the glorified gorey scene, panic started to ensue among the students as they could only stand by and watch as Aizawa lay on the ground in pain at the mercy of the demonic creature.

"Sensei!' The students yelled desperately as they clambered over to the edge. Izumi grit his teeth in anger, Aizawa was in desperate need of backup but to find himself in a position like that would mean that this particular foe wouldn't be an easy one and he doubted that he could defeat it on his own. He quickly formed a plan together, calculating the likelihood of different scenarios before one idea popped into his mind.

And it was a pretty stupid one.

"Iida, you're coming with me." Izumi commanded, his tone didn't allow for any sort of retort or complaint. The bluenette hesitantly nodded through shock but his expression showed his doubt, he couldn't blame him. It was likely to assume that Iida had thought that the two would go down to meet the villain head on... well he isn't wrong.

"I'll explain the plan to you on the way, the rest of you will stay here and be on high guard, got it?" He was met with a crowd of affirmatives as he motioned for the speedy class-representative to follow him. "I need you to be at your best here, we have a narrow chance of success and we can't afford to fail or it means that we lose Aizawa, understood?" The senior asked grimly, he hated to put pressure on someone so young but this was something that all aspiring heroes needed to experience themselves as it would prove to be one of the most powerful lessons of their career. His eyes darkened as he looked away, his eyes seemingly full of doubt. Iida took in a deep breath before staring straight into Izumi's electric orange eyes. "Understood."

Izumi nodded before the two started descending down the stairs at a rapid rate before saying something to the boy beside him, after a brief moment, Iida seemingly nodded before branching off into the forest that lay on the ground level which surrounded the entire field of the USJ.

The senior student drew his compacted bow which had whirred and rotated into place, gears moved as limbs stretched and bent tightly, the slick edges of the bow gave off an intimidating look which didn't go unnoticed by the villains that were stationed down below. His senses went into overdrive as his body grew warmer and warmer.

His eyes burst in a flash of light as his vision became clearer and his mind appeared to feel clearer, stress washing away as he could only focus on his targets at the cost of a faint pain in his chest which did not go unnoticed by the boy but was ignored nonetheless. His approach alerted the sickly pale man, his crimson red eyes gleamed through the gaps of the dismembered hand that was attached to his face as he watched the new opponent with curiosity and malice. His teeth clenched and grinded sharply against his fangs as his presence meant that Kurogiri was taken down, the retrieving force had not come back yet but that didn't mean that he couldn't have his fun. The hand clad figure stretched a single arm out towards the offending figure, motioning for the remaining forces to encounter the foe excluding the powerhouse which held his hostage captive. He knew that the effort would be a waste of men on his part but he really couldn't bring himself to care, he was a villain after all. He was someone who used others for his own gain and right now, he needed to know what this competitor was capable of.

Noticing the approach of the simple goons and thugs, he frowned in simple annoyance as his bow sparked to life which had caused a reaction of fear to ensue within a few of the villains. As he set foot on the final set of stairs, he leaped into the air which had confused the villains, seeing as he had no sort of quiver or arrows within his person, a few felt cocky as they laughed at him thinking that he wasn't a threat with a measly stick.

Oh, how they were wrong.

The bowstring of said stick glinted with a faint glow of orange as a rod of wild electricity crystalized into a refined deadly spear of lightning in less than a mere second before duplicating into a set of five bolts, each with the intent to strike down their foes in a heartbeat. It gave him an odd sense of satisfaction seeing their faces turn from cocky and arrogant to frightful fear in mere seconds, though he wasn't about to grant them the mercy of being spared from his wrath.

At the release of his fingertips, the arc of bolts flew straight and true to their targets with frightening speed emitting a loud crash of thunder upon meeting its destined targets. Izumi felt a slight hint of dissatisfaction upon not releasing the full extent of his power but he knew that killing simply isn't tolerated, that would only make him on the same level as them. Landing gracefully on the ground, the surrounding crowd of villains could only watch in horror as the screams of pain rang in their ears before falling silent, their bodies crumpled to the floor just barely alive. Izumi gauged their reactions as he slowly rose, his once warm orange eyes were now cold and merciless. Being the unintelligible thugs that they were, they desperately tried to overpower him with their sheer numbers as they were rounded to about forty to one.

They ran at him without any sort of plan or formation in an attempt to obtain revenge for their fallen comrades, or rather, they hoped to be able to finish him off so they wouldn't have to meet the same fate. He grunted in acceptance of the challenge as he ran towards them to meet the crowd head on which had confused them, working out in his favor.

He smashed his bow onto the temple of his first foe rendering them unconscious before summoning three more bolts and sending them loose eliminating three more targets.

That was four down, thirty-six to go.

As another wave of enemies approached, Izumi swept his feet low which knocked a few off balance which had also created a domino effect, knocking down the people around them. Pressing on, he set his foot onto one of the villains stomachs to propel himself in the air, charging a large spear of lightning which had devoured their foes in an instant like an attack from the heavens, his body curved gracefully as he charged another three arrows before he landed which had embedded themselves within a few more enemies. Electricity surged wildly around him, the hue of light slowly evolved from the more tamed and calmed orange electricity into a cold and ferocious blue as he pursued forward taking down enemy after enemy through the mix of ranged and close combat. For all the students behind him at the entrance plaza, it was quite the sight to see. His graceful and fluid movements between the enemies rough and clustered ones, he handled the weapon in his hands with the highest degree of mastery as if it were merely clockwork. Though they couldn't ignore the shrill cries of pain that the villains choked out, they winced at each relentless an ruthless strike that was dealt to them and even though that the people before them were villains and perpetrators, they couldn't help but feel guilt-ridden at their fall, their limp bodies twitching faintly.

Moments after the battle began, Izumi stood on top of it all without even seemingly breaking a sweat as he breathed softly. He eyed the two before him with the coldest and most icy glare he could muster, the blue surge of electricity pulsated threateningly. The man before him looked at him indifferently as his blood red eyes only seemed to convey his irritation, he scratched his neck in frustration as his skin flaked under his sharp nails as he tried to formulate a plan of sorts.

Izuku, Tsuyu, and Mineta could only watch in awe as well as fear at the senior student's display of power. While they were unaware of the newcomer's relationship to Izuku, they certainly wouldn't deny his help on the matter. Izuku meanwhile felt conflicted, he was overjoyed that his dear elder brother had come to save them which had likely meant that backup would be coming soon but he couldn't stop himself from fearing the beast that his brother was on the battlefield. He had known him for his soft and caring nature, he was easy to tease and was fun to have around and he was most of all his protective brother and his light.

But this person that stood before him was different.

He was heartless, ruthless and had little mercy to spare as he held a powerful weapon within his very grasp. His empty eyes bore deep into his soul as his face was impassive like he didn't even hear the agonizing cries of the fallen, even if it was meant to be a sigh that they were winning. In fact, he was indifferent... no, there was something about it that he couldn't place. The maniacal smile that was found on his face during that brief conflict had told him everything, the image of his aloof face as he stood on top of the hill of his fallen enemies beneath his feet, unmoving shook him to his core and it had scared him.

Izuku desperately wanted to call out to him, he wanted to wrap his arms around his brother and beg for him to turn back into how he was before... but he found that he couldn't say anything, he stood there paralyzed as if he had shot him with one of his own arrows, rooting him to the wet mud as his lower torso felt numb in the icy cold water.

...

...

Moments had passed as neither parties had made a move, they stood there locked in a staredown, cold orange met a merciless red. Their bated breaths held as neither were willing to back down, not now...

...

"Gh..." Izumi stumbled to the side, dizzily as he slouched over with his head spinning as well as his vision blurring and distorting for a slight moment. At this, the sickly pale man smiled wickedly as he merely enjoyed watching the boy before him in a weakened state. Perhaps he wouldn't be a problem after all...

"No... not now..."

Izuku's emerald green eyes widened immensely as he ran out towards him, his bond with his brother freeing him from the shackles that bound him in place despite knowing the fact that he was in a most unfavourable position by still being in the attention range of the two villains. He could feel the resistance of the water try to pull him back with a heavy weight dragging him down but he couldn't stop now. All he could think about was that his brother needed help.

"Nii-san!" Izuku shouted desperately, catching the attention of the blue-haired man while the monstrosity simply stood there aloof. Tears brimmed the edges of his eyes, staining his freckled cheeks with a look of horror on his face. Surprise formed on Tsuyu's and Mineta's faces as they immediately objected to Izuku's rash action and tried to hold him back but they were too late. Izumi's eyes widened with an equal amount of shock and horror, a heavy sense of dread washed over him as his brother ran towards him. This was wrong, he shouldn't be here, he's in danger, doesn't he know that?

He was going to get himself killed if he took another step forward.

Izumi found himself unable to make any major actions to prevent Izuku's approach, seeing as he could only use his voice to steer him off the track "Izuku, get out of here! Forget about me, you need to regroup with the others!" He pleaded desperately but the broccoli haired boy made no attempt to listen to him and was about to object until a snap resounded in the air as the hand clad man snapped his finger. The monstrosity that had stood beside him with Aizawa still in his grip came into attention as it's expression, while still unreadable hardened into complete obedience.

"Nomu." The pale haired man stated simply, though it appeared that it had understood it's master's command as it suddenly rushed towards Izuku with blinding speed.

... no... this couldn't be happening, right?... I can't lose him...

A veil of flames washed over Izumi granting him a brief moment of respite as his body felt more energetic than ever before despite the excruciating pain that the flames brought upon his skin and nerves. A surge of white electricity coursed through his veins and a bright light surrounded him as he pushed himself to reach him in time.

Please... just make it in time.

Izuku, on the other hand, had stopped fully as he could only hold his hands out in front of him, close his eyes and wait for it to be all over from an anticipated blow... that never came. Instead, he could only find himself staring at the back of a familiar figure, holding his arms protectively in front of him.

 _Drip... Drip..._

A salty and metallic taste blossomed in Izumi's mouth as he gingerly reached his hand up to touch his lips. Izumi's eyes widened upon seeing a familiar red substance stain his fingertips. Looking further down, a scarred tar skinned hand found it's way driven into his gut, blood trickled down the offending appendage as his gut burst indescribable pain, he fell to his knees, he wanted to cry out but his voice wasn't there. Perhaps it was a sick and twisted sort of mercy that they hadn't obliterated his entire abdomen but it's not like he could really care right now as his vision dimmed. The students could only watch in shock and horror as the beast loomed above the senior student like an agent of death as it claimed victory over him.

* _COUGH_ * Izumi started coughing out violently as he vomited blood onto the dirt ground, he desperately tried to cover his mouth from releasing the dam that was rising up from his esophagus but his efforts proved futile as a river of blood emerged from the gaps of his hands rapidly as blood began to pool below him.

"Nii-san!" Izuku scrambled towards him as he caught his brother mid-fall. Fear erupted from inside Izuku as he held him in his arms. He looked so weak and pathetic as blood trailed down his lips, staining Izuku's clothes. His dishevelled black and green hair was matted with sweat, his vibrant orange eyes dimmed ever so slightly as he expression contorted in pain. It hurt him to see his brother in such a state...

And it was all his fault.

Tears streamed down his freckled cheeks to fall onto Izumi's face as he could only stare into his empty eyes. "P-Please... don't leave me..." To his surprise, a warm and comforting hand was placed over his.

"Izu... ku... I'm sorry..." Izumi croaked hoarsely, he coughed again as more blood stained his shirt. He looked up to him desperately, "Run... away... Izukun." He shook his head violently in refusal as he voiced his concerns. The pale haired man and the Nomu watched with passive expressions, though the hand clad man looked seemingly bored at the emotional episode as he sighed in annoyance.

Though he didn't particularly know how the Nomus were created and to be honest, he didn't really care either but it annoyed him that the Nomu had hesitated in destroying the boy's stomach which this hesitance was likely due to the change of targets.

Perhaps it still had their humanity in them... but that was something that he didn't need, the fire of compassion needed to be extinguished.

"Kill them." He muttered as he turned around.

The Nomu nodded before dashing towards the duo once more to finish them off. Upon noticing this, Izuku desperately clung onto Izumi in a dire attempt to protect him from harm, perhaps he could sacrifice himself to protect him like he did.

 _Please just let this be a nightmare._

A loud crash was heard as a tall and bulky figure stood in front of him. A familiar shade of sunflower yellow and white filled his vision. He shakily looked up to find two familiar tufts of blond hair sticking out like antennas from the figure's head.

"Young Midoriya, do not fear." The figure said with a grave but reassuring tone.

A shaky smile bloomed across Izuku's lips as tears of relief ran down his face. He recognized that tone of speech, he recognized his bulky masculine form, his teacher and mentor is here to save them.

The symbol of peace.

And he was pissed.

"Because I am here!"

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **Here's Chapter 5!**

 **And no, of course, I'm not letting my main character die (just yet)**

 **On another note, the best way to describe Izumi's hero costume is the season 5 Fortnite kitsune gear. Hey, it just looks really cool okay? Plus it has a more down to earth design than what I had originally planned on first rewriting this.**

 **Thanks for reading chapter 5 of blood brothers, please leave any reviews and criticisms, I hope to be able to improve my writing for all of you to enjoy.**

 **Ignis**


	6. USJ part 3

**USJ**

" **Because I am here**!"

The number one hero's proclamation was heard throughout the entire studio joint as he stood defensively in front of Izuku and Izumi. His hardened and merciless expression sent chills down the villains' spines as they scrambled away from him in fear as his aura radiated a fierce rage, threatening to blow back anyone who stood in his way.

Izuku was rooted to the ground as a mix of relief and fear overtook him, he was frozen. While the image of his mentor's back and large stature was a great relief and reassurance to him and all the students, he was also quite aware of All Might's little dilemma since he had overheard Aizawa and Thirteen talking about All Might's absence due to overstress during his duties at work. If he had rushed over here while he was still resting, who knows how much time he has left before his body gives out and not to mention how long it took him to get here as well since it took all of them well over thirty minutes to get here by bus alone as it was located by an empty and unoccupied shoreline.

Then there was the matter of the villains themselves. Though the quirks of the two that stood at the back of the Nomu were still unknown to him, the big guy himself would be a big problem, figuratively and literally. As much as he hated to admit it, he wasn't fully aware of the capabilities of the Nomu. He knew that it was definitely powerful enough to take out anyone in its way as his own brother wasn't able to keep himself out from the line of harm when he protected him. Izuku stared down at him, he looked tired. Izumi stared painfully to the side, his expression full of guilt and shame as his breathing was slowly but surely starting to even out despite the crater that was what remained of his abdomen. It had actually shocked him that he was still alive despite his heavy injuries... and it appeared to be starting to heal?

Perhaps it was just his imagination...

Izuku couldn't forget what he had witnessed just a few moments ago and he couldn't feel more guilty for it. He was the reason that he was in this state at the current moment. If only he hadn't called out for him and blown both his and his friend's covers... but that was what made him- _him_. Even if it was something that he would deny, Izuku was a compassionate person that wouldn't think twice before running out to save someone in need; and his brother was well in need of assistance.

While he didn't know the full details of his brother's own quirk as he was rather secretive about the topic, he would always try to change the subject of the conversation to something else; Izuku wasn't one to press on details, nor was he one to be assertive when it came to satisfying his curiosity, it was just who he was, plus his brother must have good reason to hide it from them... right?

Nevertheless, Izuku knew that this fight would be hard for All Might. There was no telling what that thing was capable of, but it was strong, too strong.

"All Might!" Izuku cried out in warning, even though the simple statement didn't hold any notable context, Toshinori could pick up on his worried tone which he appreciated. He sent a thumbs up his way in hopes of reassuring his successor that he would be able to handle this situation.

 _I'll be alright._

"I see you two are responsible for doing this to my students... And you fiends attacked them when I had my back turned." He accused menacingly as he pointed his finger towards the two, his sunken blue eyes burned brightly as his glare intensified.

The pale haired man, however, shrugged before returning to his slouched posture as he cracked his neck idly to the side nonchalantly; the Nomu stood obediently beside him awaiting his master's orders. "To be honest _oh, great Symbol of Peace_ " He started, his emphasis on the number one hero's title dripped with venom. His blood red eyes stared at him in annoyance as he sneered.

"We're here to kill you." A disembodied voice surged around them which confused the present heroes. Their questions were answered as a puddle of water built into a malleable figure before gaining colour and texture, their icy cold sapphire eyes peering through his mask. Beside him was an unconscious Kurogiri who pathetically lay there, soaking wet from being transported by a wave of water but was breathing lightly, though he was obviously unconscious. The hand clad man spared an annoyed glance at Kurogiri before turning his attention towards the cloaked figure. "What happened to him?" The figure shrugged, "He got beat by _him._ " He pointed his gloved finger towards Izumi who breathed heavily but his body felt helpless as he was in Izuku's arms, instinctively, Izuku's grip on him tightened as he glared at them.

The cloaked man pulled down his hand towards his side slowly, "But I see that you have already taken care of him, Shigaraki." The sickly pale man laughed before clapping Nomu's back with a wicked and twisted sense of satisfaction at the mention of the student's defeat. "Yep, and it's all thanks to this guy." The nomu made no move to show their appreciation but remained as still as a statue, it's breathing evened with no evidence of any change in emotion.

All Might grit his teeth as he prepared himself in a battle stance, ready to take on anything that they might throw at him... but unfortunately, the words that the cloaked man had said lingered in his mind with a sour impression.

 _We're wanting to kill you._

What did that mean? He didn't know, it appeared that the villains had some sort of plan to eliminate him whether it be with dirty tricks or with something that can counter him entirely... and from what he could tell, it was likely the latter as he could see what kind of damage had been done to Izumi. His abdomen made no show of being torn open but judging from the shock on Izuku's face as well as the incomprehensible amount of blood that pooled around him, he could tell that this monster at least had some sort of skill in precise control of their strength. It even towered over him, its muscles rippled definitively across its body as it flaunted it's strength passively.

But one nagging feeling that had been tugging at his brain for the past few moments worried him.

Did they know of his secret? If so, how?

He put that thought to the side as he focused on his main priority of securing the student's safety. Scanning the immediate area, he spotted Aizawa lying on the floor, seemingly unconscious as blood pooled around his smashed and broken face. The symbol of peace cringed as he could notice the slightest of movements from his fingertips despite them being most likely broken from the unnatural angle that it was bent in. He probably couldn't even comprehend what kind of pain he was going through as he appeared to have been lying there for a long time, too long for any adrenaline to save him from the beast known as pain.

 _'Rest my friend, you have done enough. You've done more than I could have ever asked you._ _'_

"Young Iida!" His response was immediate as a blur of blue brushed past him, lifting Aizawa onto his shoulders. All Might in the meanwhile quickly retrieved Mineta and Tsuyu who watched the whole confrontation fearfully. After Iida handed their teacher over to the two, All Might had immediately ordered the three to head back to the others, once he confirmed that no objections would take place, he turned his head halfway towards the brother duo as his serious blue eyes demanded no opportunity for any complaints. "Young Midoriya, you must take Iwaizumi back with the others, I'll be able to fend these villains off of you." He said sternly.

"B-bu-"

"No, you must leave this to me. Your brother takes first priority!" The words snapped Izuku out of his argument as he could only stare guiltily at his brother. All Might held a thumbs up to him reassuringly.

"Don't worry, I've got this." He confidently reassured, though Izuku could see that he was nervous as well, even if it was just a little bit. Izuku looked away ashamed that he couldn't do anything to help his hero in this hopeless situation. There was only one path for him to take and that was to obey.

Shigaraki chuckled madly, pointing his finger towards Izumi despite his gaze lingering on the symbol of peace. "Don't you see All Might? You've already failed him, he's slowly dying away with that hole in his stomach!" Toshinori spared a terror-filled glance towards the third year student, he hadn't noticed before since Izuku was hunched over him protectively...

But damn was it nasty. His gut was wrenched open as blood seeped quickly through the gaping hole, though his intestines and organs were miraculously held in place. Though frankly, he shouldn't be alive, let alone standing, albeit shakily. All Might could feel his nails dig into the skin of his palms as his unbridled anger flowed freely from his deadly stare.

Izuku rose slowly, his brother's arm slung over his as he took heavy steps towards his destination with his brother in tow. Glancing over, Izumi appeared to be regaining consciousness as he took shaky steps alongside him in an attempt to ease Izuku of him being a burden, though his senses were finally starting to kick in.

He felt useless, here he was being dragged along to the safe zone because he was too weak to defend anybody, he let his guard down and he paid the price for it. Though when the price was his safety for Izuku's, he'd take the deal any day and no one could change that...

Though... he still felt a pang of regret for his rash actions. Once again, Izumi had put himself into the fate of an opponent who stood several leagues above him and all he could do was watch as control slowly melted away from his grasp, resulting in having experienced a glance of death.

Though, this was not something new for the senior student of class 3-A. During his journey as an aspiring hero as well as the experience brought up upon his own internships, he had come close to dying many times. Saving people was a hero's job after all, though that meant that he had to take a lot of risks compared to his usual careful thinking and planning that he was well known for. Perhaps it was a family thing, or perhaps it had become a habit after experiencing it so many times. He knew that his own mother and father never hesitated to help those in need, even if they were in trouble of their own, as long as they followed the rules of the game.

Recklessness was something that wasn't commonly associated with Izumi, he was a good thinker and strategist as his own quirk required immense concentration to maintain control. He, like many people, understood what having power meant, it was a ferocious beast that threatens to take control at every waking moment. It often caused people with power to make mistakes and he was no exception.

Consequences were also something that he understood all too well as it built the premise of the universal way of life and being a hero was no different. Failure to expect something that could disrupt his plan of attack or defence would require sacrifice, and sometimes, taking the chance at death was the penalty.

Death was something that Izumi typically wasn't afraid of, overcoming that fear was often told to give you great strength when you finally meet it face to face, meeting a heroic end here wouldn't be so bad, would it? But then there was the painful reminder that was also the people that he would leave behind if he were to give up now, people that loved him and people that cared for him. While bonds and love may prove to be strengths at times, it could also be the cause for weakness.

It could also cause fear.

But that was something that made him human, those who had forsaken everything for the sake of power were no longer deemed worthy to be considered human, they were monsters.

The images of various people spurred to life before him. The first person he could think of would most certainly be his own mother, the head of the Midoriya family. Inko was a kind lady and a loving mother to the two of them and had raised the both of them with utmost care after the loss of her own husband to an incident which she would never forget. To find one of her beloved sons found dead would break the already cracked case of her mending heart as losing another loved one to the realm of death would break her. She didn't deserve something as terrible as that.

His own brother would most likely object as well. Izuku was never one to be selfish, he was a gentle and kind boy who had a terrible introduction to the cruel world they live in but took it all in stride, keeping in his own pain and put a cheerful mask over it. Instead, he was often the one who took hits for others who were bullied like him and most of all, Izumi was someone who was irreplaceable to him as a figure of hope and inspiration.

Many faces he had forgotten over the years appeared, perhaps they were people he was able to save in one way or another.

There were also his friends, those in class 1-A and his teachers. Togata and Tamaki were some of his best friends during his second year onwards during his studies in Yuuei. When they had first met near the first half of their very first year, they quickly became close friends as they stuck side to side like brothers and they fought for him like he was one of their own. They shared laughs and memories, they overcame impossible obstacles and hurdles but made it out alive thanks to their help.

And then there was _her_...

The various faces shimmered into nothingness as a faint image of blue strands of hair came into focus in front of him, a pale skinned girl with sky blue eyes gazed at him curiously as she held her hands behind her back. Nejire Hado, the beautiful hero and local third-year bluenette from Yuuei academy who was recognised for her skills as in upcoming hero with her record of efficiency and ability in handling resolved cases being one of the highest rated in all Japan.

Like Togata and Tamaki, the two had met during the annual Yuuei sports festival where they competed against each other for the prize won at the very top.

Soon after the event had ended, heir friendship budded as the three of them added Izumi to their little group as they met up often to talk about their lives. He got to learn more about them, more about _her_.

He had learned of her childhood and of her past friends, her own experiences in the line of duty of being an aspiring hero.

Though, it was only about a year ago that he had realized that special thing about her cute smile, her cheery and affectionate gestures and most of all, her brave, heroic and confident attitude to this chaotic world they lived in.

The way she held his hand, the way she cried with him during his darkest hours, the way her words made his heart race with excitement and life.

He loved her.

And she loved him.

An empty white plane enveloped the two within its grasp as all signs of life were shut out. Izuku vanished from his side as he suddenly fell to his knees weakly, his body collapsed against the ground as his stomach flared painfully. He looked at her, his eyes shrouded in confusion as she stood there motionlessly, her blank and empty gaze washed over his pitiful state.

His lips parted as he was about to ask what was wrong, though his eyes widened as he saw past the clouds of cheer and freedom that she usually covered herself with as she was shackled by a memory he remembered very well.

There stood the figure that held her hand, a broken promise escaping from his lips as the world around her shattered.

A wave of guilt washed over him as he found himself standing alone to face her as the two were the only ones that had existed in this white plane. Nejire had her hands folded over her legs as she averted her gaze from his, an unfitting frown fell upon her face as her hands shook slightly. She looked down on him as her expression morphed into one of serious concern and hurt, her lips curled reluctantly but he knew what she was about to say.

 _"Izumi-kun... why?... why did you break our promise?"_

Those few words tore through his soul. He couldn't say anything, tears stung his eyes as he recalled her hopeful words, a simple request to come back to her safely but he had failed to make do on that heavy promise. He couldn't bear to see her face after his utter failure for fear of disappointing her. Even if his opponent was a monster that surpassed him by miles in terms of speed and power, he could only blame himself for being so weak to live up to the simple but heavy promise he made with her.

" _Why? Please tell me..._ "

 _Nejire... I'm sorry._

 _Forgive me for being so weak._

She sighed heavily before taking light, slow steps towards him. He averted his gaze to the ground as she stood in front of him, she cupped her delicate hands around his cheeks, stroking them softly before he turned his head upwards to face her, her sky blue eyes were filled with sadness yet hope. She helped him up to his feet as she connected her forehead with his, their noses touched lightly sending a shiver down his spine, a small fragile smile graced her lips.

 _"Then come back to me, come back alive."_ She whispered as the world rebuilt itself around him, her figure slowly faded away into the air. His arm was raised as it slung over Izuku's shoulder, snapping him back to reality as Izuku looked at him with an expression of concern.

"Nii-san, are you alright?" He tentatively asked his brother who nodded in affirmation, a small smile tugged at his lips.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine..."

He was back, and he knew what needed to be done.

"Let's... go."

"Alright, I've had enough. You there, you know what you have to do." Shigaraki stated simply to the cloaked figure in a grumbly voice. The cloaked figure, which was now known as Mizu momentarily hesitated before nodding as his body splashed into the ground before racing towards the limping duo, leaving Kurogiri in their care. As All Might noticed his advancement, he attempted to punch the ground in the hopes of disturbing the assailant's path. Unfortunately, Shigaraki had caught onto his plan as he snapped his fingers which led to alerting the Nomu to attack.

As his fist were mere centimetres from the ground, All Might had detected movement from his right side to find the Nomu charging at him with incredible speed, forcing him to block the attack or else he would have to suffer an unfortunate blow that would leave him at a major disadvantage.

"Damn." All Might got out through gritted teeth.

The blow was powerful, he'd give it that. The muscular blond was pushed back a few feet or two as his shoes dug into the dirt below him, staining the soles with grounded dirt. The villainous puddle escaped his grasp successfully thanks to his partner's interference. As much as Toshinori hated to admit it, he was in too weak of a state to do anything to help his student and successor as well as the fact that he was occupied with an equally powerful foe that would perhaps have him finally meet his match.

But that just meant that he needed to finish this battle faster.

Not wasting a moment's chance, All Might dashed towards his opponent by taking a powerful leap into the air as his body practically levitated above the ground. He crossed his arms upon approach in the preparation of a powerful attack as the Nomu readied itself in a defensive stance.

Toshinori positioned the body away from the Nomu at a tangent as a twist of his foot sent him flying towards Shigaraki with frightening speed as dust trailed behind him.

Shigaraki's eyes widened upon witnessing All Might's change in direction as he strayed from the path that led to the encounter with Nomu but what surprised him even more, was that he was heading straight towards _him_... Actually, it really shouldn't have surprised him, he _was_ the controller of the Nomu so it would supposedly be the best option to take him out first. Even a monkey could figure out the Nomu's obedient gimmicks after a few keen observations.

But he didn't feel afraid, not one bit. In fact, he felt cocky and confident, his arrogance was supported by the quick flash of black that wedged itself in front of him and All Might. Toshinori couldn't stop in time to redirect himself as it would only provide an opportunity for the Nomu to strike, instead, he decided to gauge the flexibility and durability of the monster that the villain's leader had placed all of his trust in by performing a cross slash technique that had proved to be effective for covering a large area of his target due to the wide arc that it travels.

Much to his surprise, upon unleashing the devastating attack on the Nomu, it proved to have little effect as it came out unscathed. He could tell that the move held a good amount of power due to the lashes of wind that had erupted through the Nomu's body but it didn't even flinch or show any signs of discomfort or hurt as its eyeballs rolled back to stare right back at him.

"Wha-" He was suddenly interrupted by the Nomu deciding to go for a counterattack as it attempted to grab him with incredible speed and force but the startup of the attack was rather predictable and slow. Upon bending his back far enough backwards, he could feel the sudden rush of wind pressure slap his face as the Nomu's gigantic arms sailed across his line of sight in a clean and fluid motion like a stream of water.

Now he was certain that he couldn't let his guard down against it.

Shigaraki laughed maniacally as he doubled over in laughter, "How does it feel All Might? To feel so powerless against a foe that can take anything you throw at it." His laughter died down as the fire within All Might's eyes remained burning bright and unyielding, Shigaraki's smile disappeared as quickly as it had appeared before morphing into a frown.

"Attack."

The Nomu rushed forward once more towards All Might in hopes for a battle as it reeled it's arm back for a powerful swing. Seeing no other choice, he countered with a punch of his own.

As fists collided, blasts of wind lashed at whatever it could touch as the two traded a multitude of blows that could very well kill someone ten times over. Both sides continued, showing no signs of backing down, the ground beneath them shook and tore at their bout of power. Though no matter how much he tried, he couldn't get through the Nomu's defences as it perfectly took each one of his hits, the only thing to show that he had done it was the rippling of its muscles and skin as the force of his blows were absorbed perfectly.

This was going to be a tough match.

* * *

Upon reaching the base of the staircase, the students who had spectated the entire battle had noticed their call for help as they ran down to help the two reach the entrance plaza where they'd be safe. However, as they ran down Uraraka noticed a dark patch of dirt rapidly approaching the two. While she would have dismissed it without much thought prior to the events of the USJ, she had witnessed firsthand the extensive abilities that one of the villains had showcased during their fight with the masked hero who had turned out to be Izumi as they were capable of Water mimicry and manipulation.

As it was as clear as day that the two would struggle to get towards the high ground with Izumi's apparent injury, the students rushed down to help them. They couldn't just leave him to die after what he had done for them. To fail at the last step would only prove their incompetence at being successful heroes so she did the only thing that she could do.

"Deku kun! Watch out behind you!" She desperately yelled in hopes of being able to alert them of the challenger that lurked behind the two. Izumi cursed upon heeding her call as he too noticed the dark patch of dirt rush towards him and Izuku. In his state, he couldn't do much in terms of doing any strenuous physical actions as it would most likely worsen his condition, though a thought had crossed his mind.

Though he hesitated, in this condition, he wasn't too confident in his ability to finely control his power as he would before he got hit, but he had to do it. It was the only way that the two would make their way out alive, there was no room for failure here and killing either Izuku or the villain would result in a game over.

"Izuku... don't let go of me okay?" He got out through ragged breaths. In response, Izuku looked at him questioningly before nodding.

"Okay, I trust you Nii-san."

It was do or die.

His outstretched palm faced the ground as a surge of neon orange electricity surged from his fingertips before burrowing itself deep into the ground as the ground warped into a large circle as it expanded around them before whirling clockwise with a ferocious speed. As the villain approached them, he sensed a change in pressure and felt an odd vibration swirling in front of him. He stopped in his path before emerging from the ground before his figure solidified into his original form. Seeing an opportunity to strike, Izumi snapped his fingers towards the cloaked figure, a plethora of pure negatively charged shards of twisted steel jumped out of the ground before making way towards their target. Moving out of the way, the figure decided to launch a wave of water towards the two which Izumi responded by compiling the bars of steel together into a metal wall to stop the torrent from reaching them, successfully averting the hit despite the metal's loud groan.

Quickly countering, Izumi charged a bolt of thunder within his outstretched palm before the mass of electricity broke through the wall with a large blast of pure lightning in hopes that it would incapacitate his opponent once it made contact. Unfortunately, his opponent had read his attack and successfully dodged the attack as they nimbly landed on the ground before rushing towards the two, water seeped from the ground before gathering at their palm, awaiting their command.

Dragging his arm away from Izuku, he quickly clapped his hands together as lightning swirled around him. A field of electricity enveloped around the two as it expanded rapidly, pushing away their assailant. Going for a different approach than before, the field broke out into molecular shards before reforming into a hailstorm of needles before rained upon the cloaked foe relentlessly and mercilessly.

The cloaked assailant grunted in pain as he felt the stinging sensation of the needles penetrating throughout his body. He felt his body heat up rapidly as the control over his body melt away as numbness soon took over. His teeth grit against each other in a desperate attempt to maintain consciousness as his sea blue eyes glowed intensely as a cold rush overwhelmed him. A cry of power escaped from his lips as a swirling sphere of translucent water enveloped the two as it's exterior glowed vibrantly. A surge of horror filled Izumi's veins as his control over his electrokinetic quirk vanished; his fingers twitched but felt numb and unresponsive to his will. Fear erupted through his being as this sensation contrasted the desperate clawing that tugged at his strings like the puppet of a monster. Before was the sensation of restraining the power kept within him from taking over his mind, it was a struggle that he had fought to maintain.

But this... feeling...

This overwhelming feeling of hopelessness, he felt as if he was stripped of his power, his control was corrupted, he couldn't do anything.

But what scared him the most was the sense of familiarity he felt dip into his consciousness.

What... was this?

The two suddenly collapsed to the ground, though one was in a far worse condition than the other as the sphere dissipated. Control rushed through his fingertips once more as his reawakened senses took hold of his body. Perhaps it was the work of adrenaline, his abdomen didn't feel as painful as it was once before though he couldn't really tell if he was somehow miraculously healed or not as spots appeared in his vision. Izuku rushed forward to his brother as the sudden interference of the aquatic barrier put him in shock. The cloaked figure, however, rose in a staggering manner as he clutched his head with unease.

 _No... not now..._

The cloaked figure could feel his hands tremble as his head pulsed agonizingly, causing him to release an exasperated grunt in pain as he breathed heavily. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't pursue them further, not in his current state... Reluctantly, he turned around quickly and quietly as he ran into the thick covers of the woods, the reason why unbeknownst to the heroes. Izumi felt too tired to continue pursuit as his knees buckled forward. He was fortunate enough to have Izuku catch his fall, a horrified expression present on his face. "Nii-san!"

Izumi gave him an apologetic look before smiling weakly, "Sorry... I'm... a bit... out of it..." The cloaked figure before them let out a huff of exasperation before shaking his head angrily, though taking a step forward earned him with a powerful, angry and desperate cry.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Izuku yelled with a surprising amount of force as his emerald green eyes brightened in anger, seething at the villain with the coldest glare he could muster, something that was thought to be impossible for the broccoli haired boy. He reeled back in surprise and shock as he could only stare at the boy before him, a migraine caused him to jerk his head painfully as his hand clasped the side of his skull.

"... Hmph."

Without another word, the cloaked figure turned around whilst sparing one final glance at the two students before making an exit as he identified two more students approaching the due from the staircase behind them.

The sudden action surprised Izuku yet he still couldn't shake the feeling of dread that he emanated. Why was he spared? The two weren't in good condition to take them on in a fight, though there was still the possibility that they didn't know what his quirk was capable of which is understandable, but after that large display in the shipwreck zone, it would be unwise to assume that they were still in the dark about this powers, so why did they run away? Perhaps _they_ weren't capable of fighting another enemy in his weakened state despite it being a freshman.

"Izukun... You're mumbling again..." Izumi chuckled weakly before wracking into a heavy fit of coughs. Izuku blushed in embarrassment before trying to help him sit up.

"S-sorry..." His brother smiled at him, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"It's fine... Though, while... your theory has some accurate points to it... I think it would be wise to-" He started coughing again, blood sputtered slowly from his lips as he winced painfully, clutching his stomach.

A rapid approach of footsteps caught Izuku's attention as he turned his head to find two familiar faces running towards him and Izumi, though one particular navy blue haired student was faster than the other smaller brunette.

"Deku-Kun!/ Midoriya-San!" The two said simultaneously. Izuku's face brightened up at the appearance of his two closest friends as a small grateful smile blossomed on his lips, his freckled cheeks lifting in joy and acknowledgement. "Iida, Uraraka!" He cried out with a slight hint of desperation.

Upon reaching the two, Iida visibly cringed at the sight of Izumi's torso, not to mention the heavy trail of blood that was painted before them on their way here. Uraraka had the same reaction as she reached the three, her hand was clasped over her mouth as her own stomach threatened to spill her breakfast. Izumi grimaced at their expected reactions, unfortunately, he couldn't really work up the energy to hide the sight of his apparent injury to the freshman students.

"Erm... Sorry, I know it's not pretty to look at."

"DIIIEEEEEEEE!" The four students' attention was drawn to a loud roar that echoed through the depths of the wood's embrace, faint waves of light and smoke pillars rose from a considerable amount of distance from them. Izuku's eyes widened upon recognizing the origin of the battle cry, his fists clenched at the thought of his abrasive sandy blonde friend.

"Kacchan..."

His eyes widened upon reaching a disturbing realization as he noted that the approximate origin of the sound came from the direction in which the villain they had encountered before had escaped which was definitely not a good sign.

While he acknowledged Bakugo's skill in terms of combat prowess as well as tactical decisions during close combat, Izuku knew that the odds would likely favour the side of the mysterious figure as they appeared to be older than them and was able to at least take on his brother.

His body instinctively urged him to run towards his friend in an attempt to provide backup but the voice of reason in his mind rooted him to the ground, as he couldn't forget his brother who lay in his arms. Sparing a glance at him, Izumi could tell what he was thinking but he remained silent, his gaze levelled and steady while his breathing was evening ever so slowly.

 _It's his call to make._ Izumi thought

"Nii-san... I..." Izumi flicked Izuku's forehead weakly, yet the strength was practically nonexistent as it was basically a light poke but still had the intended effect of snapping Izuku out of his consequential daze as he rubbed the flicked spot lightly, his expression confused. He offered a weak but warm smile nodded slowly, a reassuring hand was placed upon his shoulder, though he could feel how weak the grip felt.

"Go... for it, I'll... be fine here, I've got Iida... and Uraraka here to... help me." The two students before them widened their eyes in surprise but nodded along with his claim, though Izuku still couldn't help but feel like he was abandoning his brother by doing this as he appeared to be on the verge of death itself, the wound would have been enough to kill someone straight on impact but him surviving this long was a miracle. But that didn't mean that the possibility of death was eliminated yet and Izuku knew that.

"B-but!" Izumi unfortunately, wasn't having any of that as he shot him a serious glare, not to be reprimanding but to show that he wasn't going to change on the offer he made.

"Izuku... I'm not going to change... on the decision I made but you're the one in charge... do what you think is right." He averted his gaze, the doubt was still present in his emerald green eyes. He sighed once more.

"I'll be fine... okay? I promise... to get out of this one alive."

Seemingly put in deep thought, Izuku weighed his options before nodding. He trusted him to keep his word.

He always did.

"Please, stay safe." Izumi nodded before motioning him to go. Izuku regrettably handed him over to Iida and Uraraka as they held him gingerly but securely in their grasp.

Without a word, Izuku turned and ran towards the plumes of smoke that erupted from the forest's heart. The three stayed there, watching as the bush of green hair merged into the forest's own leaves. Turning his attention back to his wound, Izumi sighed at the sight of it while the two students above him watched Izumi with concern etched onto their faces.

"Iwaizumi senpai..." The senior student waved off their concern. While it was nice that they cared, something needed to be done to save him, and fast. He could feel his control slowly seeping away from his body as it all started to feel numb. Izumi motioned for the two to lower him onto the ground through the motion of his hand tapping the dirt floor slowly, his eyes shifting from them to the space that lay empty beside him. They looked at him strangely but obliged to his odd request, hoping that they understood him correctly.

Staring at the wide dome above him, he saw that Iida and Uraraka both were standing right beside him, ready to help if he needed it.

"You guys... should probably... stand back."

The two students looked at each other with slight confusion before their determined gazes sent them back to him with a firm negative. They made no effort to move as they were worried that there might be lurking villains waiting to attack him in his weakened state.

Izumi sighed wearily, "I'm serious." He spoke in a serious manner, much different from the tone he used from before.

Apparently, the sudden change in tone was enough to ward off the two back as he breathed a sigh of relief, though he mentally apologized for the harsh tone that he had adopted to tell them to back off.

He steeled himself for what he was about to do.

 _Time to cheat death itself again._

 _Oh boy, this is going to be really painful..._

His vision blurred with a blindingly bright light as his body was washed in a sea of white flames.

 _But this is for the people who need my help._

 _And I refuse to sit around and do nothing._

 _Even if it costs me my life._

* * *

Ducking and weaving through the layers of branches and leaves that struggled to hold him back, Izuku ran through the depths of bushes and darkness, only meeting with occasional shreds and scraps of light. It surprised him that the expansive forest was this thick and dense, though he supposed that the outside area wasn't something most people took note of despite their thick and heavy appearance with plenty of room to spare.

Did they even have gardeners to maintain the plant life here?

He shook the thought out of his head, mentally berating himself for getting distracted as he narrowly avoided a head level branch that would have knocked him right out if he were to smash into it.

He knew that he had already given his opponent a large headstart, he wasn't sure that he would be able to catch up in time. Even if he did, then it would be likely that they would have to endure a round of combat with them, especially considering the handicap of his broken hand... or fingers rather, though he was still in a good enough condition to fight if need be. He couldn't manifest his quirk at the current moment as it would likely put him and Kacchan in danger if he was to blow apart the entire forest, even just using a flick of his finger caused a swirling bullet of air strong enough to create a massive whirlpool in the shipwreck zone.

The emerald-eyed student clenched his teeth as regret flooded his mind at the thought of his amber eyed brother.

He had just left him alone, or rather, not alone but he wasn't by his side. A surge of guilt flooded him as he remembered all of those harsh memories of his childhood, his lonely days where he would just cry to himself as the footage of All Might's rescue mission replayed over and over again on his mother's computer. He could always remember his brother coming in soon after, embracing him in a comfortable and brotherly embrace with love as he whispered soft and sweet reassurances to the quirkless boy's ear as he clung on desperately to his tear-stained shirt before falling into a peaceful slumber.

 _"You abandoned him..."_

 _Perhaps it was the wrong choice to come out here after all?_

Izuku's expression fell as he shook the traitorous thought out of his head.

 _No, my brother trusted me to do this, he knew that this was something that I had to do._

 _I can't fail him now._

His attention was suddenly grabbed by the shockwave of a large explosion ruffling the trees around you as an angry shout rose into the air once more, Izuku sped towards it as fast as he could manage, a glimmer of hope appeared in his eyes as the source of the outburst seemed to be close by.

He reached a small clearing which was still surrounded by large trees that towered over him. Before the broccoli haired boy was Bakugo Katsuki along with the mysterious cloaked figure from before engaged in combat, though it appeared that the cloaked man had the upper hand. Izuku considered himself lucky as he didn't appear to have been spotted by the two yet as they focused on each other with a deadly serious intent.

While he wanted to rush out from his cover to help his childhood friend Katsuki, he couldn't help but admire the grace and fluidity of the cloaked man's attacks, water swirling around him as he bobbed and weaved around the explosion quirk blond before launching his own flurry of spinning water blades and discs. Kacchan only got angrier by the second, though despite this, he didn't lose focus, instead, it only made him claw at every detail in how his opponent moved and fought so he could ensure his drive for victory would be sated at the end.

Two styles that seemingly contrast each other take the stage before him.

Yet... somehow, the way he moved looked familiar to him. Though he couldn't place a finger on it...

The moment of bewilderment ended when Izuku noticed the various cuts that showered his body and he could tell that his friend's movements were getting slower with each passing second, yet his crimson red eyes showed no willing signs to give up on this fight. With that, he jumped into the fray, hoping to initiate his welcome with a classic surprise attack.

Unfortunately for him, the masked figure seemed to notice in time when Izuku leapt off the patch of grass he stood on and blocked his relatively normal punch from his non-dominant arm with a barricade of water before pushing him back. Kacchan was surprised to see him here before his expression contorted to anger and annoyance.

"Hey, Deku! The hell do you think you're doing!?" He shouted before his attention was brought back to the masked man who launched two blocks of water at him, though Kacchan pushed them back with a slight amound of struggle.

"You're facing _me_." He said cooly before continuing his assault, though he spared a glance towards Izuku who rose slowly.

"You need help, Kacchan. You have cut marks all over your body and I noticed that your usual quick movements are getting slower with each second." The sandy blond flinched at his observation slightly before his crimson red eyes glared at him furiously but avoided making a full-on outburst that would cost him his life as he was pushed back beside him by a wave of water.

"Tch, _fine_... Just don't get in my damn way!" A small smile crept up Izuku's lips as he resumed his battle stance which All Might had drilled into him.

"Roger."

The two moved forward in surprising sync as Katsuki was the first to initiate the attack by swinging his right arm at him, sending his own wave of fire at the figure who sidestepped the attack. Izuku then came in to capitalize on the opportunity as he appeared to still have his sights on the crimson eyes blond. He leapt into the air to attempt a flying kick, an action which he had seen his brother use against one of the villains in his initial encounter of the horde earlier but was caught soon after he left the ground by the masked figure. His cold blue eyes delved deeply into his soul as he could feel himself shuddering slightly before attempting to use his other foot to strike as his arms felt unbalanced whilst midair in an attempt to control his form. This time, he focused on using All for One with as much concentration and control that he could muster in this situation that was quickly going downhill.

"Smash!" The figure grunted before leaping over him as the force of Izuku's kick flowed through his raven black hair, as well as a small crack appearing on his mask. Unbeknownst to them, a small smile crossed his face but returning to a tight-lipped line as he grabbed hold of his other leg which was now slightly bruising.

Izuku winced at the sudden pain of his leg being grappled before the world spun around him. The figure swung Izuku towards Katsuki using the momentum that he had during his airborne battle with Izuku. The explosion quirk blond could only widen his eyes in surprise as a blur of blue and green impacted his torso painfully they were sent flying backwards, only to stop abruptly by the trunk a nearby tree soon after, the wind knocked out of their lungs.

The masked man walked closer, looming above their pitiful states. Though much to the two boys' confusion, the figure before them just stopped there simply watched the two, their calm expression unreadable.

As a few seconds total silence had passed, Katsuki began to become impatient and downright furious that he would insult them by not even making an attempt to finish the job.

"The hell?! What do you think you're doing you bastard!" He shouted angrily at the cloaked man.

In response, he sighed wearily in annoyance before placing a hand on his chin.

"I'm just getting tired of fighting, so, how 'bout we play a little game? A question each if you will at a time. Watcha think?"

Izuku tilted his head in confusion.

 _What is he playing at?_ He glanced around his surroundings to find himself and Katsuki trapped at the edge of the small clearing where trees resumed the blockade of their path to escape. A nervous bead of sweat trickled down his forehead as he gulped upon reflex, understanding the situation they were in.

 _Well, we might as well entertain him while we aren't at each other's throats right? Though this could also be used as a distraction to keep us busy..._

 _Then again, he is the one in power in this situation._

"Who are you?" Izuku asked immediately, the question had been nagging at the back of his mind for quite a while. The cloaked figure chuckled lightly before shrugging, his head shook mockingly.

"That... is something I can't tell you, not yet..." The figure replied cheekily, as Izuku was about to retort, the figure explained. "It would only serve to create more questions... but." He raised a hand to his mask before unlatching it, revealing his face.

A sense of familiarity struck him as he could only inspect his features. The boy looked to be slightly older than him, no older than eighteen. He had pale skin with slick black curly hair that frayed at the end. His cheeks were slightly round with little baby fat remaining, his chin was slightly rounded. There were heavy bags sagging beneath his icy stare yet the cold piercing blue circles still retained that same aura of mysteriousness yet familiarity. An honest small grin on his face.

 _Who was he?_

The veins on Katsuki's forehead pulsed in irritation as his teeth ground harshly against each other. Izuku was really trying his patience right now and he was close to bursting.

A moment of silence passed until he finally snapped, "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TWO F*(&ERS DOING?! WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE FIGHTING! AND WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING THINKING THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO FIGHT YOU BASTARD!" He yelled without restraint, snapping Izuku out of his thoughtful daze as well as breaking the two's staring contest.

"Kacchan-"

A loud explosion erupted in the distance, catching the attention of the three in the forest's clearing. A large plume of smoke rose an approximately fair amount of distance away from their locations, the two boys could only turn their heads in confusion and slight worry as turning their attention back to the masked figure, their suspicions were confirmed by a smile plastered on their face as he stared off into the distance.

"Hmm, looks like you guys got lucky this time... Well, it's time to retreat." He muttered to himself.

"Get off Me!" He turned his attention back to the two in front of him before his smile flipped into a frown upon seeing Katsuki trying to push Izuku off him. He could only watch as the sandy blond once again attempted to blast him into oblivion as his smoking palm was raised against him.

A sigh escaped his lips as his body grew translucent, his aquatic body frame shattering upon Katsuki's assault in which he passed right through.

"Huh?!"

The blasted droplets of his body stopped midflight before recollecting around his core. As it gained distance and speed, the water swirled around into a violent torrent, pushing Katsuki out of the way as his body returned to it's normal state upon seeing the short tempered boy slam into the ground painfully. Izuku could only stare wide-eyed at him as he smiled eerily, yet there was a hint of warmth within the sea of blue in his eyes.

"It's good to see you again, Izuku Midoriya. I look forward to our next encounter."

Izuku was dumbfounded, he wasn't able to comprehend what had just happened. "H-huh?"

The cloaked boy suddenly melted away as his body liquidated into the earth, no trace of him was left before him. Katsuki who was drenched with water slammed his fist on the ground angrily.

"DAMN IT!" He yelled, Izuku could swear that the ground just rumbled slightly then.

"Midoriya, what happened?"

The broccoli haired boy perked up upon hearing a familiar voice, yet he also felt a sense of dread hanging in the air around him for reasons that he kept to himself. Swinging his head around, he confirmed his suspicions upon finding a familiar spectacled bluenette run towards him.

"I-iida, what are you doing here?" Izuku asked incredulously, a hint of fear seeping into his voice.

"Hm? Oh, I came here to help you out, though it appears that you have already handled the threat... Though from how Katsuki is reacting, I have reason to believe that they escaped?" He replied as his hand pointed towards the still screaming Bakugo behind him.

Turning his head back towards his childhood friend, he would definitely agree that it was an accurate assumption as he nodded hesitantly in confirmation.

"Mhm... Unfortunately, he got away." His shoulders sagged in disappointment as he averted his gaze from his tall friend.

"I'm sorry," Izuku said, ashamed. Iida however, shook his head before placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Worry not, Midoriya. What matters is that you are safe, along with Bakugo's safety, I think I can say that you have done well!" He praised Izuku which had the intended effect of making smile a little, accompanied by a slight blush of embarrassment.

"Thanks... but if you're here... is _he_ okay?" Izuku choked out, desperation now evident in his eyes as he looked up to him. Iida wasn't sure how to respond to that; he adjusted his silver-rimmed glassed before contemplating how to answer his question, though the lack of a response only served to break Izuku more and he could see that.

"He's fine, but... well, I think you should see him for yourself."

"What do you mean?"

"Follow me, and please bring Katsuki along. Our senseis have requested that the gather immediately to avoid ambushes."

* * *

The sight before Izuku was... well, intense to say the least.

Iida was right in informing him that reinforcements had arrived, though what he didn't expect was that most of them were students like his brother.

The avian humanoid monstrosity that he had encountered before was still alive and kicking, yet it seemed to be having trouble keeping up with about fifteen students running around it, unleashing a flurry of varied attacks and a few more sitting on the sidelines providing cover support with blasts of energy, ice and light?

 _Are those... his classmates?_

The ground as a large tree emerged from the ground, suspending the Nomu in the air like a piston before a flash of yellow knocked it back down through its trunk, obliterating the tower as fast as it was built. The shockwave that it created brushed through Izuku's hair as the view of the battlefield was clouded in smoke.

A surprisingly warm gust of wind swirled around like a typhoon, clearing the area of dust as glowing embers of cinders floated about freely in its place. Soon after, wisps of purple smoke slashed at the beast relentlessly, a cloud of the purple haze locked itself around its eyes, stripping it of its sense of sight. Shadowlike pitch black figures emerged from the ground like animated creatures; their eyes glowed with a faint white light as they drew their blades from their backs challengingly before they began their own assault on the beast.

A wolf's cry pierced the air, snapping him as well as Iida and Katsuki out of the moment of pure power and awe.

His suspicions were confirmed upon seeing a familiar cowlick blond with a freely flowing scarlet red cape trailing behind the nape of his neck land next to him as he was knocked back by the Nomu's attempt at brushing them off.

"Gh." Togata Mirio grunted in annoyance as his heels hud into the ground before he stopped next to Iida, Izuku and a speechless Katsuki with his arms help up in a block, panting heavily. Noticing the presence of the students behind him, his brief expression of surprise turned into his trademark bright wide smile as his eyes widened in pleasant surprise and relief. "Ah, hey Izuku. Fancy meeting you here." The broccoli haired boy could only stare at him with wide eyes. Togata stared at him for a moment longer before tilting his head to the side curiously. "No hello?"

Izuku snapped out of his dumbstruck trance as his face flushed red in embarrassment for what may be the fifth time today, "Oh, uh. h-hello!" The cowlick blond laughed heartily at his shaky response; at least he did better than when he first encountered the broccoli haired boy who had fainted in shock... then again, he was the primary reason for that.

"That'll do!" He responded brightly before turning his attention back towards the Nomu. Before he was able to take a step forward, Togata could feel a shaky but strong hand on his arm. turning his head curiously, he found Izuku looking at him desperately.

"W-where's... my brother?" He asked tentatively. Much to Izuku's confusion and fear, Togata turned his head toward the area around the Nomu. His gaze swept and searched over the battlefield until he saw a familiar shade of orange lightning flashing at a fast pace. Togata turned his head towards Izuku before pointing towards the flash of light that appeared every so often. "He's over there."

His curiosity only grew as Izuku's expression turned from shocked to horrified. "What's wrong?"

Izuku's brain appeared to be malfunctioning as he sputtered out a few incomprehensible words before starting to hyperventilate which had caught the attention of Iida and Togata. After a brief moment of thought, Izuku just gave up on trying to reason his brother's active state and how he was even able to move around as well as he did. "I-uh... nevermind, I'm fine."

Togata raised an eyebrow at this but nodded, "Okay, if you're sure. I need the three of you to head back with the others at the entrance plaza." Izuku was about to object but a mere glance at the battle behind Togata only showed him how out of his league this situation was. There wasn't much he could really do to help and he knew it; realizing this, he nodded his head submissively. Iida and surprisingly, Katsuki did the same; though that didn't stop him from grumbling his complaints as the three hurried off.

Nodding approvingly, he returned into the fray of battle alongside his class. A flash of electricity stopped beside him as a familiar pair of amber orange eyes stared at him curiously. "Togata? What happened?" Izumi asked; the cowlick blond shrugged. "I've just sent your brother and his friends over to the rest of class 1-A, so I think we've cleared out all of the students." He nodded in affirmative before an arc of white lightning surged around his body.

"Got it. Let's wrap this up, I'm not sure how long I have left before I pass out again." He replied, stretching his fist out to his friend. Togata paused slightly before slapping his face, a groan escaping his lips before turning into laughter. He reached out and bumped his outstretched fist in return.

"You're crazy, you'd better hope that Nejire doesn't find out." Izumi chuckled softly.

"Yeah; let's finish this."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Hey guys, that's the end of chapter 6.**

 **I hope you like my take on this scene, I originally had made this chapter quite similar to that of the anime/manga so I hope this will be like a new breath of fresh air (though unfortunately, it also took a really long time to be happy with a lot of things so I apologise for that.)**

 **I also apologize if there are some lacklustre elements to this chapter, I have been working on this for more than a week and I've gotten kind of... well, stressed as to how it should have proceeded and I didn't want it to be too long. I had even considered making another part but I was getting kind of tired of it.**

 **Also, I'm afraid there won't be any more fight scenes for now (for better or for worse) as I'll primarily be focusing on developing the relationships of the characters as I would like to try my hand at some fluffy scenes between Izuku and Ochako as well as Izumi and the other three.**

 **Please let me know if I accidentally switch Izuku and Izumi as it has already happened once, I'll do my best to fix it as soon as possible.**

 **To note, I don't really want to make Izumi appear too OP, but his mysterious power will be explained later on inside the story as well as the cloaked figure's significance (if you haven't figured it out already)**

 **Also, if you're an existing reader who has reread up to this point, first of all, thank you for being so patient with me, I have some mock exams and assessments coming up so I hope to be still able to keep up with my writing schedule, even if I write pretty slowly. Also, I've decided to start the new chapter after this one is released so I hope to be able to release it soon, maybe after the next chapter rewrite (because that one is pretty cringy and will definitely need to be reworked.)**

 **Please leave a review if you could, any criticism is welcome, and I'll see you guys in the next chapter.**

 **Ignis.**


	7. Healing

**Yuuei Academy - Hospital room.**

"Of course, thank you Recovery Girl..." Izumi said to Yuuei's local elderly nurse. She merely nodded in response with a calm but tired smile as she continued to scribble down notes on her notepad, recording down the state of his current diagnostics and recovery while he patiently sat there. She appreciated his small attempts at making pleasant conversation about the school as well as her own life as a nurse and a hero. Izumi himself was impressed by the feats Recovery girl had accomplished during her prime; though speaking of that, Izumi had idly wondered how Izuku would react to the goldmine of knowledge that Recovery girl was, no doubt he would be having a field trip and a lot of notebooks if she were fine with giving him a large lecture, which she luckily refused. It's not that Izumi didn't approve of his strive for obtaining knowledge, it was just that he probably wouldn't budge if they were to return home, and even more so their mother would worry as to where they were.

The two found themselves seated in one of the many patient rooms that Yuuei has to offer within the building's infrastructure, due to the rates of expected injuries increasing as the number of reckless and poor decisions made by the students were sadly increasing every year. No doubt recover girl was dealing with a lot of work and stress, though it made him glad to hear that there were many students who had healing quirks with sufficient mending properties to volunteer in helping her out during her no doubt countless hours of work.

The room they were located in itself was rather large and expansive; there was room for four beds to be allocated around the area with room to spare between them as well as a lot of supplied furniture to make the students occupying this space would feel more at home due to it being an area reserved for the students who were asked to remain at the facility to rest and heal. There was also the matter that Yuuei's security system was one of the best in all of Tokyo, so it was likely that he would avoid any encounter of a villain attempting to finish the job without the authorities or the security noticing.

Izumi was currently occupying the bed closest to the window, the rest of the room remained empty and silent without any other presence attendant than Recovery girl and Izumi himself. He had appealed to gain this with the reason being that it gave him time to think over certain matters at hand as well as the added bonus of a rather attracting and pleasant view of the world below him, where a large expansive green plain ran across the horizon, clear from the bustling and loud noise of the city hustled in the distance.

It was around late noon now. The sun had started to set as the skies basked in a calm blue hue, yet it's colour slowly melted into a warm orange beyond the horizon. The iridescent and lustrous glow of the sun's rays bathed the room in a serene light. The deep blue drapes hung silently as they bordered the sides of the open window, their thick fabrics swaying slightly in the calm breeze.

It was quiet...

"For now, you need to rest up young man. You've suffered more than enough injuries than even I can handle in one sitting." She sighed as she motioned towards the various bandages and the single cast that was secured to his left hand. Izumi looked down bashfully, embarrassed.

"I... Understand." She nodded slightly before tapping her clipboard as a developed habit.

"You received various ligament and tendon injuries, small bone fractures from intense stress, not to mention your nervous system is slightly damaged from the overuse of your quirk, but it'll heal in time. I guess I should be surprised, but frankly, considering who I'm talking to... well, you'll probably be back to normal within a few day's time." She rubbed the bridge between her eyes wearily as she continued. "Your abdomen will heal, but I recommend that you take eating lightly and try to stay away from overfilling as well as taking too many sweets. Izumi sat there, nodding numbly as he listened while she continued to list of the various injuries he had suffered. She heaved a heavy sigh as she placed the board on her lap, staring seriously into his eyes. "It would normally take a lot of stamina to be able to handle the amount of treatment I have given you today with my quirk, though that doesn't mean that you're healed yet, not even close. For any other person, injuries like that would have taken months, maybe even years to fully recover."

Iwaizumi nodded in response; though Recovery girl sighed once in slight annoyance at his extreme sense of calm despite being in what would likely be a lot of pain. "You know, you really need to be more careful... I know that as a hero, it's important to prioritize the safety of the people who you were entrusted to protect but considering the rising threat of this 'League of Villains' I would advise discretion towards using... well, you know what I'm talking about." Izumi stared at her for a moment before averting his gaze to the sheets that lay at his waist.

"... Of course."

He held out his hand in front of him. A small violet and orange flame flickered to life at the tip of his fingers before moving to dance around his palm. Izumi was one of the rare few people in the world of the impossible who had inherited two unique, powerful, and extremely dangerous quirks. While his electrokinesis was already a flexible and incredibly powerful quirk that he had developed and sharpened over the years he had been studying and learning in Yuuei, his second quirk was something that was much less refined yet much, much more dangerous to both his opponents and himself.

It was a quirk that's true power banked on the power of its user's drive and emotional state. Despite the promise of an incredible power, there was a reason why he didn't use it much.

There's a threshold, a line which breaks your rational line of thinking. The powerful drive that moves you to overcome any obstacle, makes it that much easier to cross that line. In return, it meant losing a part of him that may never hope to return.

Izumi sat there, watching the flame dance lively around the base of his palm. His gaze narrowed as he clenched his hand into a fist, smouldering the flame. A shaky sigh escaped his lips as he turned his gaze towards the view that the gateway of light they had provided for him. Leaning over the edge of the window, he stared across the quiet green plains that surrounded the edge of Yuuei, the shining dome of the USJ gleaming in the far distance. The gleaming rim of the dome's edge smiled tauntingly as it dredged up the memory of disappointment he felt, the experience of helplessness he had to suffer. A sigh escaped his lips as he turned his gaze downwards. Watching the occasional student navigating around the edges of the school's premise, likely returning home after some extra-curricular activities.

His expression lightened upon spotting a familiar mop of green escape from the building's entrance, soon to be joined by two other figures with brown and blue bobs of hair. It was only moments ago that Izuku had gone up to check on him, along with the majority of Class 1-A since the school day had just ended at most an hour ago. He was glad that Izuku had made so many good friends since arriving here at Yuuei, where he was accepted, liked and treated as one of them. Even if his childhood bully Katsuki was here as well, Izuku had assured him that the two were at least "friends" or "rivals" of some sort; despite being sceptical about the whole thing, he reluctantly let it go with a long drawn out sigh. He was aware of Katsuki's superiority complex that he had developed over the course of his childhood due to the fact that he had an incredibly powerful quirk that easily let him overpower many of his seniors in junior high, though he was happy to see that he has managed it at least a bit better since enrolling in Yuuei, perhaps Aizawa sensei helped set him straight.

Then again, it wasn't like he had many friends during his own childhood as well, despite there being many different circumstances between Izumi's and Izuku's... though there was one person during that time in which he could truly call a friend. Izumi's teeth clenched at the thought of said friend as he averted his gaze away from his palm, leaving it to lay on his lap motionlessly.

Scanning the room once more, a bitter frown fell upon his face as the familiar and painful sight of a small bonsai tree that sat upon the glossed tabletop beside him. Sure it may be a random piece of decoration, but Izumi had requested that one was brought there. It was well maintained with its leaves exhibiting a bright and healthy green, it's twisted trunk only served to improve interest upon it's aesthetic as it swirled upwards in a desperate reach to touch the heavens despite it's shackles to the roots grounded to the prison of the earth. Perhaps it was some twisted sort of reminder to him of one of his more memorable experiences towards using his power.

His mind drifted off to one fateful night during the many painful events of his childhood. A night where the glistening full moon cast in full view, projecting it's light upon the darkness that lay beneath its watch. A gentle breeze filtered through the scattered alignment of trees within a local park's confines. In fact, it was quite close to where he lived currently with his mother and brother, but the three had dared go back there ever since. Hurried footsteps ran across the weathered and cooled concrete as two boys ran hand in hand under the faint moonlight. The park that surrounded the two was calmly quiet as many were kept indoors, oblivious to what occurred outside their walls. Though there were a few that walked by them, many were already planning to leave the park for varying but similar reasons as they paid the two no mind, apart from a select few warning the two that they should head indoors with their families. Despite this, the boy that led the charge simply waved them off and reassured them that they were aware of their situation and promised to head out shortly after they had accomplished what they had come here to do, much to the confusion of the boy who was dragged behind him.

Minutes had passed as the two had traversed over the park at varying paces, from fast to slow, or simply sitting comfortably in the middle. The two appeared to be different in ages as the boy leading the charge was at least a year or two older than the boy who walked behind him. It may have appeared strange that such children would be associated with each other due to the more than different appearances of the two immediately crossing off a family type of relationship off of the list, though their genuine smiles of reassurance were what kept people to turn their heads and mind their own business. The two were currently running down the thick of a large area of trees, their path only illuminated by the soft light that fell from the gaps of the leaves above them.

"W-where * _pant*_ are we g-going?" The child lagging behind the other panted out to the boy that ran in front of him. His appearance was that of a nine-year-old, his hair consisted of an interesting composition of green and black, slightly curled and messy, but was reasonably well kept. His amber-orange eyes could only look in front of him tiredly as his vision started to blur before reverting back to detail. "Sorry Midori, but I want to keep it a surprise. There was something really cool that I found, and I wanted to show it to you!" The boy in front of him replied cheerfully before turning his head back to face him. Of course, the boy was a few years older than him, and quite a bit taller as well. He had unkempt spiky but straight scarlet red hair that protruded from his head at various angles. His lively turquoise blue eyes then flashed a look of concern as he saw how tired his friend was from all that running.

He slowed his pace to a halt as the boy behind him did the same, he rushed over to him as he noticed that the two had a fairly large amount of distance between them. "Hey, are you okay? Sorry about going so fast, I was just really excited..." As the boy hunched over, holding his hand over his chest to recover from the short run, he looked up at the older boy in front of him with a look of reassurance and a shaky smile as he shook his head. "N-no... it's... it's okay. I... I just need a moment to-" He then proceeded to cough violently, holding his hand over his mouth as he dropped to his knees. The boy in front of him quickly rushed over and rubbed him on the back, hopefully helping his friend overcome his coughing fit. As he started to calm down and his breathing fell back into a comfortable rhythm and sync, the amber-eyed boy sighed in defeat. "I-I'm sorry Kai, I guess I'm just getting worse..." He said shakily, though the boy in front of him shook his head to shoot down his observation. "No, that's not true! You've been doing really well since that incident, you'll get better in no time, I promise!" He said with a bright grin with a great amount of energy that spread to the boy as he adopted a small smile of his own.

"Besides, maybe you should go outside and play more than reading those books of yours, you'll never grow as strong as me if you keep putting off your exercise y'know?" Kai joked, causing him to snort at the preposterous idea with an expression that communicated annoyance, but the two soon fell into small laughter and chuckles. The younger boy's eyes laid upon a particular object which was held tightly to his chest, though it was dark out it was hard to exactly discern what it was.

The scarlet-haired boy sighed before rubbing the back of his head apologetically. "I'm sorry that I went so fast, I forgot that your body is still weak..." He said truthfully, averting his gaze to the floor, though as he looked back at him to meet him in the eye, the younger boy could see a glint of relief and excitement flash in his turquoise eyes. "But we're here! Or at least really close, I promise that it isn't too far. It should be just around the corner." He said as the boy nodded in response. Attempting to stand up, he stumbled slightly before the scarlet-haired boy caught him, helping his friend up to continue their journey.

A clearing soon appeared in sight through the seemingly endless forest of trees as a relieved sigh escaped the lips of the scarlet-haired boy knowing that his, as well as the efforts of his friend, didn't go to waste. Beside him, the amber-eyed boy could only gasp in amazement, seeing as what appeared before the two was a natural arrangement of the top of a waterfall. The grassy green terrain slowly delved into an artistic canvas of wet earth brown, glistening grey stones and the reflective waters exhibiting a navy sea blue. The lashing currents of the stream's water clashed against each other during the forerunning due to the various jagged obstacles that had awaited their arrival but settled near the fall. He turned to face the boy next to him with a bright smile on his face, while Kai simply laughed in response to the boy's expression. It wasn't usual to see Izumi smile around people that were outside of his family due to the many circumstances that came with interacting with strangers, it was quite the sight to see and more than just a breath of fresh air to see him smile so honestly and genuinely.

It only made him more sad about what had to come.

"Heheh, I know that it looks cool, I think so too... but it's not what I wanted to show you." The shorter boy's smile soon took on a more open-mouthed approach, evidently showing his confusion. Chuckling to himself, the scarlet-haired boy took the boy's hand and led him near the edge, in which a relatively large wooden platform construct that sat right on the edge of the waterfall. Reaching the steps, the two climbed their way up as the wood creaked and groaned under their weight, but prevailed in keeping themselves together as the two stood that the very end of it all.

Jumping in front of him, Kai held his hand out beside him in a grand presenting gesture as he nodded his head towards what stood behind him. "This. Is what I wanted to show you."

Curious as to what he had truly wanted to show him, Izumi stepped forward to stand beside him up next to the wooden railings. Needless to say, he wasn't disappointed. The view beyond the great body of water that lay at the base of the fall exhibited an array of brilliant but tame lights reflecting off the various structures that sat in the distance. Beyond them was the cove of the resident beach which sat next to the city's base, distant flashing ships swam across the waters, glowing luminescent with white specks that reminisced of the multitude of stars that were scattered across the vast sky.

But what stood out to him the most, was how calm and quiet it was. The setting of night truly brought out the tranquillity of the scene before him, like admiring a painting, yet what he saw held much more meaning and detail than one could ever hope to try imitate.

"It's... amazing!" He said under his breath, Izumi's serene yet indescribably happy expression put a smile on the face of the scarlet-haired boy beside him as he happily hummed in agreement.

The two stood there, leaning over the railing as they simply took in the sight before them. No words were passed then, but Kai could tell that Izumi appreciated this moment that the two shared. Finally deciding to break the silence, Kai spoke up, turning his head towards the boy who stood beside him. "So, how are things going with your family Izumi?" The boy turned to look at him, an expression of slight surprise slowly eased into a small smile. That was good, he used to freeze up at the mere mention of his family's state, and he was more than aware of what had occurred to make such a thing happen for Izumi. "Well, I think things are going well so far... Mom's holding up, after... well, you know. As for Izuku... well, he's holding up despite..." He slumped his head down, looking at the calm water that foamed at the base of the waterfall, remembering the memory of Izuku crying in his bed alone, repeating the same words that damn doctor had said to him.

" _He's Quirkless._ "

His expression and the light in his eyes grew sombre, while the scarlet-haired boy beside him could only produce a face of pity and slight anger.

"He's a kind child, and one of the best little brothers that I could ask for... but I can't always be there to protect him... even if I turn my back for just a moment, I'd find that he'll already be a target for an attack by the other kids his age, especially by that kid Katsuki." He let out a sigh of frustrations before continuing to vent out his opinions of his brother's unfortunate circumstances. "It's only worse that he's quirkless, and me, his brother, his only friend... isn't able to relate in any way to him. Especially since people look up to me due to the fact that I got a "cool" quirk, while he is teased and taunted, bullied even for having nothing..."

Kai could only show empathy to Izumi's predicament as he patted his shoulder reassuringly, while his other hand clenched at the thought of such an innocent child being beaten by the world, just for not being _perfect_... he could only relate to that feeling all too well. "Hey, I understand... It's hard having someone go through all of that, but the kid's tough, I'm sure he'll show all of them one day... besides!" Izumi looked up at him, his curious amber eyes lifted up to meet his turquoise ones as Kai held his hands on his hips.

"He's got an awesome brother like you to help him!" He exclaimed heartily. Izumi could only stare at him for a moment before a small laugh sprouted from his mouth, a tear threatened to fall from his eyes but wiped it away before they could fall. "Haha... thanks, Kai. I couldn't ask for a better friend." He said earnestly, while he nodded in return.

"No problem... oh, that's right!" He suddenly perked up as he held an object before Izumi, while it was still somewhat difficult to see fully, but his eyes widened upon seeing a small bonsai tree contained within an open polished black wooden box being presented to him. "Here, I got this for you!" He said, pushing it into Izumi's hands which caused him to fumble for a bit, nearly causing it to fall and shatter, but luckily was able to securely hold it without threatening to crash into the ground or fall into the sea of blue. He could only stare at him with a questioning look that also contained gratitude and surprise.

"A bonsai tree, huh? I was wondering what you were carrying, but it was too dark and small for me to see properly... I didn't know that you were an avid tree fan, Kai. I didn't think that it would synergize well with your fire quirk, hehe." Kai chuckled in response.

"Haha, sure, I guess you got me there... though I suppose I got this because it reminded me of your messy green hair." He teased, ruffling Izumi's already messy hair, causing the boy to blush slightly in embarrassment, though he couldn't shake the indescribable sense that he felt oncoming.

"Well, thanks! Really... though, is there any particular occasion for this? It's not like it's my birthday or anything..." In response, Kai could only muster a look of sadness as he looked him in the eye.

"Well, truth be told... it's... think of it as a memento from me." The amber-eyed boy's eyes widened upon hearing those words. His hands unconsciously held securely over the box, though he could only mutter one word that fit all of the questions that filled his head.

"...W-what?" His silence only served to create more questions in his head, though there was one clear answer in which all points led up to. His eyes widened at the realization. "W-wait... b-but that m-means..." Kai could only look at him with an expression of guilt and sadness as he nodded his head slowly before turning his gaze back to the view in front of the two.

"I'm sorry Izumi... but I'm needed to move somewhere else for... family-related purposes." His answer was only met with silence as he sighed, turning towards the young boy, who's world looked like it had been shattered, hope devoid of his once bright amber eyes. "I'm sorry..." was all he could say.

After a brief moment of silence, as well as given time that Izumi was able to process all of the information, he sighed. "N-no... it's... it's okay... I wish you luck on your journey, but... do you think that we'll be able to see each other again?" He said, a tad bit hopeful, though Kai doesn't turn around.

"Maybe... Maybe..." He said with an eerie coldness to it, which confused Izumi, though his attention was brought to the heavy footsteps that resounded from behind the two before a deep and gruff, but muffled voice signalled the appearance of a new presence to the party.

"It's a nice view... isn't it, boys?"

Izumi turned around to find a large man, shielded from the cold by a large black trenchcoat along with a matching suit, tie and hat. A long black scarf was wrapped around his face, revealing very little skin, though he could spot a thick string of some sort along the midsection of his face, linking over his ears, which only served to add more confusion to his suspicious black shades that blocked the view of his eyes, only showing nothing but darkness. While Izumi found it strange that such a man would need to use sunglasses during the night, he couldn't bring himself to question it due to the overwhelming and powerful aura that this man exerted.

"It is... I'll miss it when we leave." Kai said, almost emotionlessly as the man nodded in agreement. "Quite. But now, it is time to come with me. We must leave soon." He spoke in a similar tone, one that held a clear message of the gravity behind his words. Nodding to himself, Kai turned and walked towards the man, but stopped to look straight at Izumi. His blue eyes shone in the moonlight with an indescribable emptiness that lay within those once bright and treasured orbs. It scared him that he emitted nearly the same aura that this strange man exerted.

"...K-kai?"

"..."

"..."

"... I'm sorry for everything, Izumi. I wished that it hadn't come to this, but I can't leave any evidence of my trails. His words reverberating down Izumi's spine as his blood went cold, but he wasn't done. "I'm sorry I couldn't show you who I was really on the inside, the mask that I had to wear in front of you." A tear rolled down his cheek, but Kai ignored it as he could only muster a heartwrenching smile.

"You've shown me what it's like to truly have a friend, so thank you..."

"And goodbye."

Without giving Izumi the time to react, Kai held out his outstretched palm against Izumi. A veil of blue flames quickly crept and crawled over his arm, slowly devouring any trace of humanity underneath it. Izumi could only look up at his gaze, his body paralyzed with fear as his amber orange eyes met his hollow and cold turquoise ones. Without a second thought, he brought forth a wave of bright blue flames to collide violently against Izumi's body, as he convulsed in pain at the sudden exposure of the hellish fire that brought wrath upon his body, his breathing hastened unnaturally as if he was gasping for air. His skin slowly burned and peeled off agonizingly with blood boiling and bubbling within his muscles and veins. The pain was indescribable to Izumi as he slowly surrendered his mind to the dark abyss that he fell in, control slowly slipping away from his grasp as he stumbled near the edge of the wooden platform.

Stepping forward, Kai grunted with his expression contorting into one of bitter regret having to see him suffer. His quirk was one that allowed him to easily dispose and dispatch enemies quickly, yet Izumi's strange resiliency was something unheard of. He was dangerous, if he were to live now, it would only prove to endanger himself, as well as the organization that he worked in. Despite that, he could obviously see that Izumi was on the verge of death, all he had to do...

Was give him one final push.

"I'm sorry." Was all Kai could mutter as he shoved Izumi over the wooden railing to fall helplessly into the sea below him. The flames that surrounded him continued to mercilessly eat away at him, though his screams had then become silenced. The two that stood at the edge of the platform merely watched as Izumi fell, their expressions impassive.

"You did well... but tell me, he called you Kai? Did you not use your real name?" The man asked him, to which he instantly replied with the shake of his head. "No, that name was something that belonged to something that I want no part of, that name has no use to me... not anymore. He was my friend, I didn't want him to know of what was hidden beneath the mask that I called "Kai" I wanted to spare him from seeing what I have become... even if it would lead him to his demise." The man nodded and spared a glance towards the boy. He smiled, seeing the regret slowly fade from his eyes, only to be replaced by the cold heartless stare that he was used to seeing within his line of work.

"Well said." The main answered, seemingly approving of his answer as he turned around. Kai following in suit.

 _I'm sorry, my friend... perhaps we can meet in the afterlife... though even then, I wouldn't count on those chances..._

 _More likely than not, I've just bought my one-way ticket to hell._

 _*CRASH*_

The scarlet-haired boy perked up in slight surprise at the startling noise, as a bright flash of light struck a fair distance away from the two with low rumbling travelling across the skies, bathing the world below in white. The two turned their heads in curiosity as what lay before them was something that mystified them.

A great thunderstorm was upon them.

It was strange to see such a sudden and unforeseen emergence of billowing dark clouds spiralling above them, slowly building a descending pillar of smoke, reaching out like a hand stretching out to make contact with the earth. Kai could vaguely recall that there were no reports of any potential dangers or even natural clouds of this magnitude. The air grew heavy and humid as droplets of water started to rain down upon the surrounding area that lay under its dense and oppressive body, blocking out any trace of the moon from their sight. Their only source of illumination was the brief streaks of hot white the rumbled around the territory of the clouds, which faded seconds after their grandeur.

"Wha-" Kai started before the man beside him abruptly grabbed his collar and quickly moved to jump back from their original position as a blindingly bright bolt from the heavens impacted where they had stood before. Despite avoiding the initial strike of the bolt, the shockwave that it blasted around it soon after knocked the two back. Unfortunately for Kai, he ended up sitting on his behind as he didn't have the chance to react to the sudden blast of wind and static which pushed him backwards, while the man beside him simply slammed his palm to the floor as a plume of wind erupted in front of him like a geyser, shielding him, though his balance was tipped slightly from the residue tremor that it caused upon making impact.

As the scarlet-haired boy rubbed the dust from his eyes, he got to his feet despite his vision blurring slightly and his ears ringing intensely. He could feel an intense amount of discomfort as static pierced through his nerves like hundreds of needles boring into his body. "W-what the hell was that?!" He grunted painfully as he stumbled to one knee. The man beside him simply hummed curiously as the dust clouds that surrounded the area started to clear, a dark silhouette was discerned amongst the cloud, though the sparks of orange electricity that surged around it revealed a less black and white image of the figure before them.

"Hmm... Very interesting." Kai looked at him curiously before squinting at the figure, only to have his turquoise eyes widen to an unbelievable extent. Before them, stood Izumi, his body ravaged and burnt, as if he had just gone to hell and back. Most of his clothes were heavily burned and charred, blood red stained his contrasting pale skin, it was especially present near his mouth as it continued to drip and pour. His black and green hair dangled around him as if he had just walked through a storm, though his amber eyes held a hateful rage within them.

"How... How are you still alive?!" Kai said desperately, anger leaking into his voice, though Izumi didn't respond as he was only met with his heavy and ragged breathing. The scorched boy took a heavy step forward, causing the man beside Kai to raise his brow curiously.

 _Anger..._

"... _Why?_ Kai... I... thought... I was... your friend..." Izumi whispered hoarsely as he stumbled towards the two. The scarlet-haired boy could only watch in disbelief and fear as a lump formed in his throat. He could only watch as an intense orange and golden white flame flickered around Izumi before slowly growing to envelop his body, yet his image was still clear.

 _Betrayal..._

"Why... would... you do... this... to me?..." Kai's eyes widened upon seeing the burns that he had inflicted upon Izumi had started to heal and disappear as the flame that encompassed him only grew larger in size and the aura that it exerted multiplied tenfold. The amber-eyed boy held out his hand in front of him, his outstretched palm was quickly swarmed by lingering embers that ran across his body, slowly building into a fireball that lay floating on his palm.

 _Hatred._

"WHY?!" He yelled furiously, swinging his arm to launch the now boulder-sized ball of fire charged with an aura of electricity towards the pair. The man took a step forward, his body shaking as he hunched over slightly, clutching his chest. Kai was confused as to what the man was doing but quickly stood back as he heard a maniacal laughter erupt from the black-clothed man. "AHAHAHAH, It's been a long time, boy. I wondered if you were the same child then, but this proves it!" Izumi raised an eyebrow but continued his effort to drive the collective embers of the fireball toward them, despite the immense pain that it wrought upon his arm, the adrenaline he felt easily tossed his nerve's warnings aside as the surge of electricity only continued to grow. Despite his best attempts to wave the man's words off, something at the back of his head tugged at him, yearning to gain his attention.

"Let's see how much you've grown!" He exclaimed madly, his teeth seemingly grinning to no end. It was brought to his attention that the man wore... a breathing mask? While the accessory was strange, what caught his attention was the figure moving to lift his arm to ignite an all too familiar flame that burned a deep violet in colour.

 _No... No, it can't be..._

The fire that burned within Izumi's eyes burned brighter as tears threatened to spill from the edge of his eyes. The mere sight of those dreaded violet flames dug up some unpleasant memories from the deepest and darkest moments of his life, an event in which was a vital turning point in Izumi's life.

He saw a man lying on the floor, slowly bleeding out. The man had raven black hair and piercing orange eyes that watched him, his expression contorted in pain and sorrow. The rest of his details were blurred, though Izumi was well aware of who the man was. The man screamed out in pain as a wave of purple flames was wrought upon his vulnerable form, slowly eating away at his flesh.

"YOU." He seethed, his voice filled to the brim with venom. His arm had once more grown to be enveloped in a brilliant light before circling the area in front of him, casting a circle which slowly drew in the embers and lightning which sprouted from his body.

" _I'm sorry, Iwaizumi... Please live on, don't live a life you'll regret."_

"I'm sorry father... but I can't let this man go..." He muttered as his eyes flashed a pure white, energy leaked from his irises as his senses dialled to levels of which he had never experienced before. Time felt as if it slowed down, his body felt more responsive than usual, he could see the small lagged movements that his foes made. The man brought his hand out, corrupt and low hued flames burst from his forearm, though there was time to act before he even had a chance to attack. A smirk spread across his face, a single outstretched palm would be all he needed to kill the man who had turned his life into hell.

 _Drip..._

Izumi's whited out eyes widened upon hearing that familiar dreaded sound. His reaching hand faltered it's approach to the key to his victory, instead he paused before the sound returned once again.

 _Drip..._

Izumi brought his hand up to his lips, brushing his fingertip against it lightly, only to find his hand stained heavily with a deep red substance. His body trembled at the sight of his blood before him, though his attention was brought back to reality as his body spasmed and squirmed, causing him to lose his concentration and fall onto one knee in pain. Smirking, the man released a torrent of violet flames towards him, quick to react, Izumi released a blast of his own in a desperate attempt to push back against the man. The sheer force that the collision of blasts had released sent Kai flying back into a tree, though that wasn't to say that Izumi wasn't affected by it either as his feet slowly dug into the ground, little by little. The water that lay next to the three evaporated at an alarming rate, the brightened grass grew singed and wilted. "It's quite impressive to see that someone like you is able to keep up with me... at least this far." Laughing, the man then muttered some incomprehensible words under his breath, before the flames seemingly grew larger and even more powerful, overwhelming Izumi easily.

With a cocky grunt, the mass of energy that lay between them shattered, blasting Izumi off to land onto the hard wooden platform with a sickening thud, while the man he challenged simply stood there, his arm slowly withdrawing back to his side. The amber-eyed boy's body pulsed with pain, he could barely muster the will to lift a finger from the intense pain that he felt coursing through every inch of his body. His breathing fell out of sync and hastened rapidly, despite this, he slowly attempted to make a final stand, even if it meant that he had to endure what could be the equivalent of torture. Only to be rewarded with the sudden rise of something building up within his throat as a large amount of blood escaped his lips, painting a more than disturbing and grim sight to those who watched, yet it only put a smile on the face of those who stood above him.

He had a goal and it was right there within arm's reach.

All he had to do was take it... right?

Only to have that opportunity ripped away from his grasp as a swift blow to the back of his head left him in a near unconscious state as he collapsed to the floor, unable to do anything more as his body screamed for any scrap of rest that it could obtain. The world around him dimmed as the light slowly faded from his sight, though he could discern two silhouettes standing above him, watching him, judging him.

Kai could only watch his one and only friend lie on the floor, soaked in a puddle of his own blood. He looked so weak and pathetic, a stark contrast to the character who was able to evenly match the initial blast of his acquaintance. He took in a shaky breath before drawing forth his arm as a familiar blue flame enveloped it's exterior, not wanting to endure the painful sight of Izumi's current state any longer, but he was stopped by the man beside him who had firmly gripped his wrist, causing the flames to die out. He could only look at him with an expression of confusion, but the man simply ignored him before crouching down to Izumi's level, who appeared to be barely holding onto consciousness.

"He's a strong one... I can feel a deep fire burn within his eyes," he said quietly, a toothy grin appearing on his face. Kai nods in response, turning his head away, unable to meet Izumi's dull gaze. "I wasn't aware that he held this kind of potential... he only showed expertise in the field of electrokinesis."

The man simply shrugged before standing over Izumi, an indescribable expression on his face. The amber-eyed boy could only twitch in response to their words, he was most likely experiencing a world of red and pain that was most likely too much for Kai to imagine as he winced upon hearing his near silent pained grunts.

"Iwaizumi Midoriya... Midoriya, huh?" The black-clad man muttered to himself, his lips slowly grew into a twisted and wicked smile, a smile which would make many pro heroes shake in their boots. "He will grow up to be strong, I'd imagine..."

"Let's hope he still remembers what I said to him that day..." The man said, turning his back on Izumi as he was left to rot until help arrived. His world turned black as he could finally let his body rest.

... hey...

Perhaps Kai may be on the path of a villain now, he couldn't exactly be sure of what he was doing at the current moment. Did he still have the intent to follow such a path, perhaps he had turned to a new leaf. He did say that his name wasn't a real one, it was quite obvious to tell from the initial confrontations and conversations he had with the scarlet-haired boy. He seemed unresponsive to it once before when he had arrived in town, perhaps at that time he wasn't used to it.

...Hey.

Despite what he did to him, he couldn't say that he hated Kai for the scars he had caused. He wasn't aware of what happened in his life as he had often shut him out from learning of his past experiences. There were many things that could change a person, even he had some life-changing experiences which would have turned his life around if it weren't for being able to keep himself busy during those dark times. Perhaps there was more that he could have done, he was too much of a spectator in his friend's life, he became a hero to save people, and maybe he could have done something to save him.

"Hey"

A finger clicked in front of him, snapping him out of his trance. Izumi blinked in slight confusion as he found himself back in the present, sitting on his bed with Recovery girl looking at him with a raised eyebrow. Cold sweat ran down Izumi's forehead, much like the same result as the aftermath of him experiencing one of many memories kept plaguing his dreams, be it during day or night.

Izumi's attention returned to recovery girl, who watched him with slight concern but he waved her worry off with a small smile. "Ah, sorry... I was just thinking... was there anything else that you needed to say about my injuries?" He asked her, to which she sighed and glanced back down at her clipboard, flipping through a few pages before shaking her head. "No, that is everything that needs to be said for now, I do hope you'll tell me if you encounter any difficulties during your stay here, young man. I know how worried your mother can get when you get too stubborn to ask for help." He sighs with a small frown but nods in agreeance. "Of course, I wouldn't want to make her worry any more than I already have." She nodded in response, smiling in a positive reaction to his answer. "That's good..." She proceeded to stand up from her seat before lifting her goggles up to rub her eyes. "Now, is there anything else that you need? Are you hungry? Thirsty?" She asked him, to which he shook his head in response after a brief moment of thought. She nodded in understanding, "There are some biscuits in the drawer beside you, and the water cooler is near the sink. If there's nothing else, I'll be taking my leave now."

"Of course, thank you again, Recovery Girl." She nods and proceeds to leave as Izumi was left alone once more to his thoughts.

* * *

 _Tick..._

 _Tick..._

 _Tick..._

The clock turned without fail despite the world surrounding him seemingly appear to slow. Izumi could only watch as the pointed hands of the clock moved in a steady rhythm forward, only to reach full circle to their starting point at every minute's passing. Having enough of staring that the uninteresting and plain clock, he proceeded to plop back down on his more than comfortable bed with his arms rested lightly over his abdomen and settled on staring at the plain white ceiling that hung above him, though the light show that filtered through the window from outside had more than pleased him and helped him relax as a faint glow of orange leaked into the fading blue of the sky.

A sigh escapes his lips a small thought passes through the depths of his mind.

There were quite a few people who had visited him during his stay within Yuuei's confines, ranging from some students from Class 1-A whom he had encountered during the USJ attack, some of the teachers including All Might, Masamune his homeroom teacher, and Nezu. Izumi was especially delighted when many of his own friends had come visited him from class 3-A, which had brightened his gloomy and depressed mood, if only for a little bit. He was glad that they cared for him, even if half of the class was split between scolding him or commending him for his somewhat reckless bravery, besides, he as well as most of the students understood how tough of a situation being put against a Nomu would be if even the Symbol of peace had trouble dealing with it, despite the handicap of his body weakening significantly he was quite sure that even Togata, the strongest and most physically capable of the class would most likely have a bit of a hard time. Then again, there were certain circumstances that made for failure on his own behalf, but they didn't need to know about that.

He didn't want to make them worry any more than he already did, but the topic of his experience with a particular black cloaked figure was something that he needed to discuss with the principal. It did worry him that there was one person who didn't show up to visit him.

Nejire...

He was actually quite surprised when he had noticed that the affable and cheery bluenette wasn't able to come to visit him with the rest of his class. Togata and Tamaki were there to explain that she was needed to do something which had prevented her from joining the rest of her class from visiting him and even told him that she was rather quiet and distant in contrast to her loud and cheery self during their day at school. Perhaps it was likely due to the fact that Izumi got injured once again without her being there to help him. It was unlike her to get so down over a friend's injuries as she was usually the one person out of the entire class who was optimistic about a person's recovery and made great efforts to see that they do so. Then again, to her, Izumi was more than just her friend, she had even made him promise that he'd do his best to stay out of harm's way, but now that he thought about it, it was rather naive to think that he would be able to hold onto that promise, even if he were to give it his all into making it come true.

Making a promise like that held a lot of gravity towards a person's wellbeing in representing how they felt, and breaking it would only cause guilt on both parts. Being a hero was a dangerous line of work in which there were many opportunities to be painted as a target by villains, there was no guarantee of how the future would work out, there was no guarantee that he would be able to come out of any scuffle and scraps without getting injured. Villains and quirks would only grow to become more complex, more smarter, more harder to deal with as humans continued to grow and evolve.

It relieved him that Togata and Tamaki had mentioned to Izumi that the four of them would be able to catch up later on in the evening as he did promise to organize a study session the four of them before he left to help the students stuck in the USJ between, like good old times. It bothered him that she wasn't there to help him through his current dilemma, but he respected her decision to keep her distance. He had decided that if she were to come to him now, then she would most likely make some irrational decisions that could potentially prove consequential to their relationship.

She was smart and calm, even if her blunt and endlessly curious and innocently attitude suggested otherwise. Izumi had full faith that the two would sort things out when the time came.

Turning his head around, his eyes scanned the room which he was in and located a small bookshelf that was planted beside the simple frame of the room's entrance. At the current moment, Izumi was kind of bored out of his mind. He wasn't particularly able to attend classes, nor was he able to get any work from his teachers to pass time as they had believed that he should still recover from overstressing his body and nerves. While the thought not needing to do any homework had come across as somewhat relieving, he slowly grew more and more frustrated in not being able to do anything that would prove worthwhile, it wasn't like he particularly minded homework anyways as he was one who, much like Nejire, loved to learn and explore new things. Besides, he had a study date of sorts with his three friends sooner or later, he hadn't particularly gotten a confirmed time from Togata and Tamaki when they had visited, though he wasn't able to check the group chat for any updates either as he must have misplaced it somewhere. Perhaps he should ask them to retrieve it for him when they could, though he wasn't sure of how far he has recovered so far, so his abilities in using its functions may be limited.

A sigh escapes his lips as a seemingly dumb but most likely worthwhile thought passed through his mind.

Soon enough after stealing his resolve, determination flashes in his eyes as he reluctantly sat up from his more than comfortable position. He was careful not to overexert his body and expose it to any sudden or rash movements which could potentially lead to injury. His breathing falters slightly upon reaching a sitting position due to the sudden flare of pain that erupted from his abdomen as of not fully healing yet, but he was quick to regain his bearings as he took in deep and reassuring breaths to calm his nerves. He then proceeded to gently peeled away the blanket's warmth that lay on top of the lower half of his body, but still grimaced upon doing so as his hands felt rather weak and a slight chill ran up his somewhat numb legs at the sudden exposure of their cover and the loss of heat. Nevertheless, he proceeded to tackle on the next step with caution.

Lazily swinging his legs over the edge of the bed, a frown took over his face as he could barely feel any sort of feeling within them, it was even harder dragging them there in the first place, he could only hope that he didn't accidentally damage any healing tendons by the large arc in which his legs swung in. Izumi took in deep breaths as he aligned his body correctly perpendicular to the length of the hospital bed.

As his bare toes touched the tiled marble flooring, a surge of coldness erupted up his leg, but he paid it no mind as he proceeded to place his other foot on the ground alongside it. He actually found it surprisingly difficult to stand properly as his legs refused to leave the comfort of the mattress, in doing so, he could only imagine how difficult it would be to walk properly, though he supposed that he would just get used to it in time. It was most likely the fact that he pretty much stayed in bed for more than a day or two.

Without further complaint, he pushed his body off the bed to stand... Only to regret it soon after. Despite initially being able to successfully plant both feet on the floor as well as hauling his body to stand without collapsing on the spot, his balance was still extremely shaky and frail. He could feel how weak his legs felt, as if they would give in at any second. He debated using his quirk to help hasten the rate of which his body recovered but ultimately decided against it as it would most likely make him pass out on the spot due to his incredibly weakened state.

He cursed under his breath. "Damn, maybe I shouldn't have gone so hard against that Nomu... My body is already frail as it is, I shouldn't have pushed it further than I already have. I really should be more careful in considering my options after using my quirk..."

Steadying himself by holding his hand firmly against the wooden table's edge, he takes in a deep breath to calm himself once more. Slowly, he released his grip on the table, slowly dragging his feet across the cold marble floor. His breathing slowly becomes more laboured after every step he takes, but this was a necessary step in the road of recovery, he was likely more aware of this than most others.

The only question being whether his choice of actions may have been premature, or to say if it was wise for him to do such things in his early stages of recovery.

He was able to reach the next bed that sat across from his own, though making that far had caused a fair amount of damage to the limited amount of stamina that he could muster in this current state. Seeing that he needed to restabilize himself upon taking another step forward, causing him to feel the effects of the strain that was placed upon his muscles, he reached out to grab the board which was attached to the foot of the bed.

Only to miss it and fall.

It was strange, seeing the unexpected and mystifying sight of the floor seemingly growing closer and larger as well as enhancing the detail in which he could discern from it.

"Midoriya?!" A voice called out to him, though he couldn't lift his head fast enough to properly discern the source of the voice as a sudden blur of white and yellow caught him from below, safely preventing him from impacting the ground despite the slight daze he was experiencing from the sudden stop.

"T... Togata?" He asked slightly out of breath. His suspicions were confirmed as the cowlick styled blond helped him to his feet, his shining blue orbs watching him with immense worry and concern, though there was also relief within his eyes. A reassuring smile spread across his face, one that inspired hope to people that saw it. "Mhm, that's me! But why are you out of your bed? You really shouldn't be walking right now..." He scolded him, Izumi could only rub the back of his head sheepishly with an expression of slight shame. "Sorry... I was just trying to get a book." He said, pointing to the bookshelf that sat near the entrance of the room. Togata could only sigh before chuckling. "Haha, yeah, that does sound like you." The boy then lifted Izumi into his arms, seeing that hauling him over his shoulder would most definitely hurt his abdomen and wouldn't do him any favours.

A sigh escaped Izumi's lips, though he was indeed most grateful for Togata's assistance in preventing his fall as a small smile grew on his face. His eyes widened upon seeing a small flash of blue appear from behind Togata. Turning his head, he saw Nejire and Tamaki entering, soon following Togata as they rushed up towards him, concern etched onto their faces. His gaze stopped upon meeting the wave motion quirk user's own sky blue ones, neither could muster the courage to say anything as the room was left in total silence. Sensing the tension between the two, Togata and Tamaki nodded at each other before quickly seating everyone on two of the four beds. Izumi obviously was seated on his own bed as it was the most logical choice to have him require the need to move less. Nejire was also seated beside him soon after Togata placed him there, both of their expressions near blank and neutral, though there were also signs of guilt, worry and nervousness. Togata and Tamaki were seated opposite them on a parallel lined bed, Togata drawing it closer to reduce the gap between the two beds, while Tamaki manifested a few octopus tentacles to search through a storage cupboard and drew out a large foldable table and unfolded it so it was positioned to seat everyone.

The two childhood friends could only watch their two friends curiously as they simply sat there, waiting for one of them to make a move or initiate any sort of conversation. The tension in the air seemingly grew thicker as time passed, with no one daring to shatter the silence. Izumi couldn't bring himself to look her in the eye as his latest attempt in doing so could only reveal something indescribable, causing him to only assume the worst. His guilt doubled upon sensing Nejire fiddle with her fingers beside him on her lap, he then looked upward and saw the worried expressions on Togata and Tamaki's faces. A sigh escapes his lips as he could tell that the silence wasn't doing anyone any good.

"Nejire... I-" His sentence was cut off by the sudden action of the bluenette beside him gently leaning her head upon his shoulder. He went to say something more but decides to let the moment sink in as he slowly leaned his head on top of her's with a relieved smile.

 _She felt warm..._

Togata and Tamaki let out a silent chuckle, careful not to disturb the moment between the two as they shared knowing grins as they slowly drew out their bags and their textbooks as well as notebooks. Despite not exchanging any words, the pair could understand how the other felt as Izumi moved to place his hand over hers slowly, to which she soon intertwined their fingers together. His smile lessened slightly as he could barely feel her touch but soon shrugged it off as he was just happy that she returned his affectionate gesture.

"I'm sorry."

Izumi's eyes widened slightly in surprise as he slowly lifted his head up form her's to stare into her sky blue eyes. Her mouth formed into a tight-lipped frown as she sighs. "I'm sorry for not visiting you earlier, I know how you can get with overthinking things, and I'm sorry for not being there for you when you needed me." He smiled sweetly in reassurance, raising his hand painfully slowly to brush away a few strand blue hairs from her face.

"It's alright... if anything, I'm sorry for not keeping my promise to you." He admitted ashamedly but she shook her head in denial of his response. "No, no... I'm... I'm just glad that you're alive. It's okay now!"

"It's okay..."

"It's... o-okay..." She whispered to herself as she leaned her forehead against his shoulder, her body trembling as she clutched the sleeve of his white shirt. It hurt him to see Nejire act in such a way. All he could do was wrap his arms around her and hold her tight, even if the tightest hug he could give was an extremely soft one. She rested her head under the crook of his neck as he nuzzled into her ear. "Yeah, I'm safe now. It's all thanks to the help of our class, Togata, Tamaki... and you." He whispered to her. "So thank you Nejire... thank you for saving me once again."

The two sat there, enjoying the comfortable silence that fell between them.

After a minute's passing, he looked up to Togata and Tamaki who were diligently studying some of the notes from today's classes, though Togata was obviously having a bit of trouble, as was Tamaki, though he was faring much better as it seems. The two seemed to notice his stare as they looked up at him, a smile grew on their faces as he nodded to them in gratitude of leaving them in silence. He looked down at Nejire who appeared to have calmed down as she settled for burying her face in his chest. Rubbing her shoulder lightly, she looked up at him with a slightly dazed and curious expression, her eyes slightly pink. "Now, I think it's about time we get to studying, right Nejire?" He said to her with a bright smile on his face. Without a response, she turned her head towards Togata and Tamaki who gave her a thumbs up and nod respectively as she seemingly snapped back into reality, as well as her usual cheery self. "Ah, that's right!" She giggled before placing her bag upon her lap, rummaging through its contents, she pulled out her familiar notebook, along with the standard textbook that they had used.

He smiled at the sight of her regaining her usual chipper attitude, at least until he realized that he didn't have his bag with him. "Uh-" Before he had a chance to finish, Togata brought up a familiar looking bag upon the table with a confident smile on his face.

Well, that certainly solves that question.

Seeing the surprised and dumbfounded expression on Izumi's face made Togata, Tamaki and even Nejire laugh briefly, before long, Izumi joined in as well. "Don't think that we'd forget something like this Midoriya. After all, most of us here are on different levels in terms of our studies." Togata said. Izumi nodded in agreement. "Hmm, I guess you're right, well, saves me the trouble of getting it myself. I just hope nobody took anything from there while it was in class." He mused while Togata shrugged.

"Hmm, it's possible, but I don't believe that anyone in our class would do something like that. The only person in our class that I'd imagine doing that would be Akiyama, though even then, I'd doubt she'd do something of those lengths. Our class is a lot more down to earth than many others in the school, I believe." The three nodded in agreement.

"Well then, let's get started."

Togata had helped Izumi with bringing out his books and a pencil, much to his insistence. Despite the unnecessity that it was, he was grateful that Togata was a good friend to him, then again, the blond was a generally kind and humble person, always willing to give a helping hand. A smile formed upon Izumi's face as the three of his friends watched him excitedly, eager to start their session.

He picked up his pencil.

Only to have it drop from his hand.

The three's expressions quickly shifted into one of concern and slight fear as Izumi suddenly clasped his hands over his mouth before bursting into a violent series of coughs. He hunched over as the small intervals between them had Izumi heaving heavily, gasping for air before his vengeful coughs returned to choke him of his breath. The three immediately surrounded him and did their best to support and comfort him in his unexpected coughing fit. It scared them that such a violent and unexpected reaction had occurred so suddenly out of no-where, they were aware of their friend's condition, though they didn't expect it to be this bad.

As his coughing died down, Togata and Tamaki settled for patting and rubbing his back, while Nejire hugged his side lightly and reassuringly in slight fear for his health. His breathing, while still incredibly heavy and out of sync, slowly eased down to a more manageable pace. A shaky sigh escapes his lips he slowly withdrew his hands from his mouth, yet what lay in his palm made him visibly flinch. Noticing this, Togata and Tamaki leaned over to see what was wrong and went wide-eyed in surprise and slight fear. Though his flinch didn't escape Nejire's attention as she looked up at him worriedly. Noticing that her attention was on him, he quickly closed his palm before setting it onto the table as if nothing had happened, despite the shaky smile he had, she could tell that something was wrong.

"... Izumi?... What's wrong?" She asked him, concern heavily coating her tone. He didn't want to lie to her, but what he saw was something that he believed that she didn't need to see or know about. It would only cause more worry that she would have to deal with.

"It's... it's nothing." He said in an attempt to wave her concerns off, though her attention was drawn to his closed fist, his knuckles slowly turning white. She turned her attention back to him, her sky blue eyes meeting his amber ones.

"Open it." She said bluntly, cutting straight to the point which had caused Izumi to flinch slightly.

"W-wha-" He stuttered out, but Nejire quickly placed her hands over his as her gentle hands shook lightly. Her eyes pleading to him with as much desperation that she could muster, he couldn't deny those eyes of her.

"Please... open it, let me see what's wrong," she asked him, her voice barely louder than a whisper. Reluctantly, he drew his fist and laid it upon his lap, slowly opening it. Upon doing so, Nejire audibly gasped and trembled slightly, while the others could only stare at it sadly.

 _Red_

A minor trace of blood lined the creases of his hand.

While it wasn't a particularly large stain, it's presence wasn't something that should be taken lightly. Izumi turned his head to observe the reactions of his friend, a small frown grew on his face upon seeing their scared and anxious expressions. Not wanting to have it interrupt their session any longer, he drew his hand and placed it over Nejire's, snapping her out of her trance as she stared at him worriedly. In response, he could only smile reassuringly, "Could you help me over to the sink?" He asked her, to which she reluctantly nodded upon seeing that there was a fair bit of distance needed to reach there. It wasn't like that she didn't want to help him, she was more worried about his health if anything.

Without another word, she carefully helped him up as she held his side to balance him before the two slowly trekked their way over there. Togata and Tamaki accompanied the two for the case if their help became necessary, though they kept their distance to give the two space.

Finally reaching over to the sink he slowly reached out and lifted the lid, warm water soon fell from the faucet to trickle down his stained hand, slowly washing away any traces of the less than pleasant traces of his blood. He could only sigh at his pathetic state, his hands clenched as the taste of blood still remaining in his mouth. He soon felt a warmth embrace him from behind as two slender arms wrapped around his torso to fold softly and reassuringly over his abdomen, careful to not hurt him. As expected, turning his head, he found Nejire nuzzling close to his back. At least she wasn't shaking anymore, it was nice to see the strong, kind and comforting girl he had known for so long. After he had dried his hand with a nearby towel, he turned to return her embrace before the two returned to where their two friends sat.

He could still see the worry that flashed in her eyes as she looked up to him, but he quickly quelled those thoughts by intertwining their hands together, causing the bluenette to smile.

"Thank you." He whispered to her as they sat down and continued to where they left off.

"Now, where do we begin?" He asked as the three immediately started to barrage him with questions.

 _What a change in atmosphere... but, I'm glad that we were able to get through this._

Hours had passed as the three had accomplished a great deal of work without any further disturbances or events. Izumi was also caught up with everything that the three could scrounge up together from their notes on the day's lessons. He was especially appreciative of Togata's efforts to write down as much as he could as he wasn't the biggest person for studying due to his preference of fieldwork in contrast to written work, so to see that he had done so much meant a lot to him, though that wasn't to say that Tamaki and Nejire didn't do their parts in making sure that he didn't get left behind as he was often one to beat himself up for missing any sort of lessons and such, even if he was actually sick.

The four had sat in a comfortable silence as they had focused on their individual learning with their textbooks, of course, they were aware that they were free to ask for any help that they might need. Present Mic had visited the four of them a few hours earlier to give Izumi a basic revision sheet of the day's lessons as well as to check how one of his best students were doing. He could still remember his screeching voice echoing throughout the empty room.

 _"Yo, Y'all need to study up, especially you two!"_ They remembered him saying, pointing both of his index fingers accusingly towards Togata and Tamaki in a rather exaggerated by amusing fashion, in fact, it reminded him of how Iida, one of Izuku's best friends, who had developed a strange habit of making gestures to help emphasize his words and actions. Of course, it was all just in good fun, he was genuinely encouraging the two to work hard, even if his method of doing so sounded more like teasing. Togata had struck his forehead hard with a salute which didn't even faze him despite the fact that the power he had put into it would more than likely knock someone out or at least render them dizzy, replying to the man with an affirmative and thanks. Meanwhile, Tamaki lowered his head shyly and nodded at the man, preferring that he doesn't continue being so loud but he respected the blond man's attempt at encouraging the two to do better.

Izumi chuckled at the two's varied and contrasting responses to the loud teacher's words, though soon enough, the four were able to go back to their studies.

Hours later, the four was treated to a pleasant meal of various Japanese assorted meals that primarily consisted of sushi, rice and vegetables of various kinds thanks to Tamaki's endeavours. It was actually quite surprising that the timid, navy blue haired student was quite skilled in handling more naturalistic types of dishes, which were thankfully not made with his own quirk. The thought of eating food made from Tamaki's flesh was a rather... unusual idea, an idea that he'd rather not entertain, no offence to him or anything, though it's not like he would be welcome to the idea either as he would most likely just run away and hide, or at least something along those sort of lines. Izumi was grateful for his choice in food as it was a rather light and healthy meal that would give him a lot of energy for the rest of their study session.

Perhaps the two could team up to cook something some time, Izumi himself was quite skilled in cooking cuisine for his friends and family. It would be pleasant to be able to spend more time with the navy blue haired student as he primarily participated as a spectator to most of their activities, or settled with facing against a wall if they were involved with a large crowd. Perhaps cooking would prove to be a valuable skill in helping him open his shell up more, besides, it would be a useful skill for the likes of his quirk as well.

More time had passed by as the night started to set in, though, for the four of them, they had hardly noticed the change in time as they were progressing quite nicely in their studies. They had occasionally settled on having breaks to stretch their legs. As the next hour had passed, Togata plopped down on the bed he sat on, letting out an exhausted sigh of relief. Tamaki simply stood up to get another glass of water from the sink, asking everyone if they needed another glass when he went there, to which they happily accepted his offer.

Turning his head to the side, he soon noticed how tired Nejire had looked as her eyes started to lower slightly as she continued to write something in her notebook. A moment later, she placed a hand over her mouth as she let out a big yawn before smacking her lips as she returned to look back at the page in which the four was looking at previously. Izumi chuckled softly before placing his hand over her's capturing her attention as she turned to look at him with a curious but tired expression. He simply smiled as he offered his shoulder to her. "You can take a break and sleep if you want, I don't mind." He said to her softly. She smiled appreciatively as she placed her pen down to rest her head on his shoulder, murmuring a word of thanks before she started to snore lightly. The three could only chuckle at the blue-haired girl's cute eccentrics as Izumi moved to wrap his bed covers over her to keep her warm. She soon slithered her arms around his own, hugging it tightly as she nuzzled deeper into his shoulder which made him smile and lean down to nuzzle her cheek affectionately.

After the three continued their quiet study session, Izumi turned his head to glance at the clock that sat on top of the wooden table beside his bed.

 _Nine forty-five, huh? We've been at it for a while now..._

He turned his head towards the other two students that sat across from him and Nejire. It was also quite easy to tell that they were quite tired as well as their heads were slowly dropping down before they blinked and propped themselves up, rubbing the sleep from their eyes as they continued to write. It impressed him that they were able to get this far without falling asleep. They deserve to have a good rest after all of their hard work.

He quietly waved his hand in front of the two, garnering their attention as he smiled at them kindly. "I think this is a good place to stop, we've covered more than enough for today and I think I can say that you two have done extraordinarily well. You guys probably need rest, so we can start to pack up now." He said quietly in an attempt to prevent waking Nejire. Togata and Tamaki send him sleepy but appreciative nods as well as a smile that conveyed their thanks to him before the pair proceeded to pick up their items and store it within their bags. He turned his head to the side to find Nejire still comfortable sleeping on his shoulder, it was rather cute to see the cheery and bright girl sleep so peacefully and quietly. Not wanting to wake her, he proceeded to help pack up her books and pens. Though, upon moving to close her open notebook, he noticed a particular drawing at the corner of the page, marked by a large heart shape.

It was him, green and black hair, orange eyes and everything else that could be described of him. Underneath the surprisingly detailed drawing of his face was a small but meaningful message written for what appeared to be for him.

 _"I love you, Iwaizumi."_

He smiled brightly, tears starting to form along the edges of his eyes. The other two noticed this and sent him an anxious look but he quickly waved them off, saying it was okay while not bothering to wipe away the tears from his eyes.

Turning his attention back to the sleeping bluenette beside him, he brushed a stray strand of blue hair from her peaceful sleeping face before leaning in to kiss her forehead tenderly. "I love you too... I'll be sure to repay you sometime." He whispered to him. To his surprise, the bluenette murmured something incomprehensible before rubbing her cheek against his shoulder. He could only do so much to keep himself from hugging the girl form how cute she was, though she soon let out a yawn.

Her eyes slowly opened as bright blue met amber orange.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" He asked her softly in which she replied with a slow shake of her head to claim that he didn't. "Mmm, no it's fine, I probably need to get some sleep..." She looked at him for a moment, an indescribable look in her eye which caused the amber-eyed student beside her to tilt his head curiously. She then curled her lips into a teasing grin. "Though I don't think I would mind waking up next to you again, honey." Izumi's face flushed a bright red as he covered his face with his hands, unsure of how he should have reacted to that suggestive comment. She must have been pretty tired to start flirting with him like that, she wasn't one to be so openly flirt with people, nor was she one to generally flirt anyways.

"Aaah, Ummm Nejire..." He mumbled as the three could sense the unease and confusion that was evident in his voice. Despite the generally stoic exterior he had with his friends and acquaintances, it easily crumbled under flirting with the girl that sat beside him. Seeing that he was getting slightly uncomfortable, Tamaki decided to step in as he was generally capable of diffusing situations such as these.

"Hado san, I know that you guys are a thing now, in fact, you've guys have been so for about a year or so... but that doesn't change Midoriya's reactions to your blunt attempts at flirting..." He said, looking away from the pair.

"Mhm, I have to agree with Tamaki, Hado. Though I'm pretty sure you guys have already di-" Tamaki was quick to cover his mouth from what Togata was about to suggest as Izumi only blushed deeper.

"Hmm, I guess you're right." She turned towards her boyfriend with an apologetic expression, "I'm sorry for doing that Izumi, I guess I'm pretty tired." She said, leaning in to kiss his cheek as a sort of apology. He appeared to loosen as a sigh escaped his lips before smiling. "It's alright, I forgive you." He said softly to her as she giggled but nodded, glad that they were able to handle the situation well.

He soon stood up, though he was still a bit shaky, he was able to handle himself much better than before. "Well, I think it's about time that we get to sleep. After all, the test will be coming up soon, though I think you guys are more than capable of passing, we can still hold another study session later this week." The others nodded in response, seemingly keen to meet up again.

"Sounds good, and thanks Midoriya for helping us study, we wouldn't know what we would do without you," Togata said to the amber-eyed student, while the two beside him nodded in agreement.

"No no, I'm sure you guys would have been fine without me... ow." He winced as Nejire lightly elbowed his side, a disapproving look on her face.

"Hey hey, don't start talking like that Izumi. It's not a good outlook on life y'know." Nejire scolding him lightly, mild annoyance seeping into her voice as she wagged a finger in front of him.

"Y-yes ma'am."

The other two laughed. "Well, we'll hopefully see you tomorrow back in class Midoriya." Togata waved to Izumi who nodded with a smile on his face.

"Mm, thank you all for taking the time to visit me, I really appreciate it."

"Hey c'mon, we're your friends right?" Togata exclaimed heartily, placing his hands on his hips proudly as Izumi stared at him blankly, a smile slowly growing on his face.

"Yeah... Yeah, of course, we are."

Nodding, Togata and Tamaki went to say their goodnights as they walked back to their own houses. Izumi turned his attention back to Nejire who smiled at him brightly, though there was also a somewhat bittersweet look on her face. "Mm, I guess I heave to head back as well. Though if you want I could stay?" She suggested to him, he smiled in response but shook his head. The two had often slept together in the purest sense that they would simply share beds, though that would often result in the two find themselves in an entangled mess in the morning. "No, you need a proper bed, besides I wouldn't say I'm in the best state to actually sleep next to you tonight, recovery girl wouldn't want me accidentally hurting anything." He reasoned as the bluenette nodded in understanding.

"It's okay, I hope you'll get better soon." She said, moving closer to him before wrapping her arms around his neck as she leaned in to kiss him wholly on the lips. Enjoying the moment, Izumi wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her against him as they stayed there for a good moment before breaking the kiss for air. Their faces were flushed madly but a gentle smile overtook both of their faces as they leaned in to connect their foreheads together, their warm breath brushing against their cheeks.

"Goodnight."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Again I'm sorry for not posting sooner as I imagine it's probably been too long since I've updated.**

 **I was surprised at how difficult it is to write something that isn't written in the anime or manga so I can only hope that I'll be able to get faster at doing so.**

 **And yes, Izumi and Nejire are a couple in this story, I probably will develop how they "fell in love" in either this story or another which if it's another it will probably happen once I decide to take a break from this momentarily.**

 **Also, I'm doing a Deku chapter including IzuOcha next so look forward to that I guess.**

 **Also, I'm hoping to do some Deku, Bakugo and possibly Izumi development in either the next chapter or the one after and I can only hope I do his character justice.**

 **I suppose I should say it was somewhat difficult to portray the three's (Mirio, Tamaki and Nejire) personalities as I sometimes find it tough to have a good grasp on their character and personality traits without them sounding too normal or "on the side" type, though Nejire's personality is pretty easy to understand despite there not being too much detail on her in the manga.**

 **Thanks for reading, please let me know if you guys have any suggestions for ideas or improvements and don't hesitate to tell me if I can do something better as it will help me grow as a writer.**

 **Thanks again.**

 **Ignis.**


	8. Getting back onto your feet

**Author's Notes:**

 **Here's another chapter! Also, the middle part of it is basically a Q &A explaining Izumi's quirk. (I hope it isn't too weird)**

 **Enjoy chapter 8 of Blood Brothers.**

* * *

 **Yuuei Support Group Facility**

"Here you go, handled with extra special care!" Hatsume Mei a young pink haired mechanic proudly handed Izumi a mechanical bow, her golden eyes gleamed with pride which made Izumi smile.

He inspected the bow which was similar to the version of the previous model which was destroyed by the Nomu. It was fairly large, scaling in at about the length of two of his arms, it was lined with a black, silver and gold plating which apparently was made with materials that supported his lightning attributed quirk.

He tugged at the bowstring which was lined with a strong metal conductor and it had good tension, he smiled.

He held the bow pretending to aim and fire, the compound bow had good drawing range and the appendages bent smoothly.

It was a Friday morning, The room was reasonably large and it was well lit as many papers, tools and mechanisms were stored everywhere along with a mountain of support items stored in the corner which was likely presumed to belong to Hatsume the genius and rising star mechanic. Apart from the various smudges of oil and shrapnel as well as the smell of metal filling the air, the room was fairly clean and kept tidy all things considered.

He turned back to Hatsume, his face beaming with anticipation as well as gratification.

"Thank you Hatsume, I look forward to seeing what kind of improvements you've made." The comment made her especially happy.

"Oh, yes I've made extra special adjustments to this baby, oh I can't wait to see it in action." She moved very close to Izumi holding her hands to her chest excited moving them in an up and down fashion frantically.

"I've given it a mix of silver and gold to which it's durability is tops thanks to the adjustments I've made, I've also devised a new formula for increasing the bowstring draw length to it's peak while optimizing the power output, I've also added a folding mechanic so it'll be easier to transport and it'll be able to be attached to your hero costume!"

She rambled on for a bit before Power Loader decided to cut in as she talked in the background.

"Hey bud, how 'bout give it a test run eh?" Izumi looked at him eagerly and nodded.

"Yes, sir." The two looked back at the pinkette mechanic who was still rambling on, Izumi who didn't want to be rude decided to listen in for a little while whereas power loader just returned to his work and sighed at the pinkette girl's antics, seeing this Izumi pulled out a seat and sat in front of Hatsume as she rambled on partly because he was genuinely curious as to what kind of specifications that she had implemented.

She eventually stopped at the 5-minute mark to which power loader looked up from his work and gave a relieved sigh. "Okay, she's done now so you can leave."

Power Loader walked up to the green haired student giving him a small parcel, Izumi looked at him with mild confusion.

"It's for your brother, Izuku Midoriya. He requested some adjustments to his costume so just give it to him whenever you can." He gave a toothy grin.

Izumi responded with a smile of his own and nodded before waving off the two "Thanks again!"

They both waved, Hatsume with an abundant amount of energy and Power loader with a lack of it before returning back to hunching over his desk in work.

Izumi walked in the large hallway, the orange sun shining through the window, his footsteps echoed the empty space before he stopped.

"Hmm, it's still early since I've been discharged." He rolled his shoulders and stretched around to remove the stiffness from his body letting out a sigh.

"It's been a while since I've practiced, I hope I'm not too rusty..." He looked out the window before his eyes lit up with an idea.

"Actually, I think I have an idea." He said to himself as he walked off.

* * *

 **Park Entrance**

The sound of relaxed footsteps was heard on the hard concrete as the bright sun hung in the clear blue skies spreading light onto the world below.

The sound of chirping birds and the winds brushing the green trees and plants that lay along the side of the pathway were heard, along with the chatter of a small group of teenagers.

It was a group of three, of varying heights as they were engaged in a friendly conversation walking side by side.

They talked before the bluenette with glasses perked up moving his hands in specific and erratic gestures.

"Midoriya, I wanted to ask how your brother was doing, I had seen that he had suffered heavy injuries since the USJ attack and it's already been two days since then." The green haired boy smiled at his friend's concern for his elder brother before giving a thoughtful expression with his hand on his chin.

"Hmm, well I visited him early in the morning before we started school but I haven't seen him since... but he seemed to be recovering well and he was in high spirits."

Iida nodded "I see, you are quite diligent Midoriya! I bet many of our classmates could learn from your example."

The green haired boy rubbed the back of his head sheepishly and chuckled before he replied he replied. "No, no, it's just what a brother would do, he and mom look after me so it's only natural that I do the same." At this Iida smiled thinking about his own brother and Uraraka joined in with one of her own cheerful smiles thinking about her own family.

He lifted his head up before turning to both of his companions. "Do you guys want to visit him later? we can meet up again to walk back after we visit the park. I mean we have quite a bit of time since it's the end of the week"

Iida and Uraraka nodded before the brunette sheepishly fidgeted her fingers with a red blush on her already rosy cheeks. "He seems like a really nice guy, you two are quite alike you know, I mean you both are really kind and nice and you have a sense of heroism that I think a lot of us can learn from," she said remembering Izumi's comforting pat during the attack.

Izuku laughed nervously with his face flushed with embarrassment "H-Haha, I-I'm glad you think so... but I-I still have a lot to learn before I can catch up to him, h-he is one of the people that i-inspires me to save people with a smile, I only hope I could be able to be as kind and understanding as him someday." He said looking into the sky.

Iida nodded before patting his friend's shoulder. "Do not worry Midoriya, we'll all work hard to be able to be heroes this world deserves."

Izuku smiled before nodding "Right."

The three suddenly stopped in their tracks as they saw a bright flash emerge from deep within the trees of the park. The three looked at each other before nodding as they ran off the path to make a detour towards the light.

They swiftly ran through the patches of the park trees, moving past the branches that posed as an obstacle to prevent them from reaching their destination.

A few seconds have passed until they could see light at the end, a green clearing.

' _A secluded spot?'_ Izuku thought to himself but he stopped in his tracks as he reached the end of the trees, when he spotted a familiar mop of green hair that stood inspecting a tree trunk that has a large gash on it's exterior.

Izumi was wearing a comfortable black and red jacket presented with a white shirt that had "Detroit smash!" written on the front, under it was a small All Might in a fighting pose. He also wore black shorts and skin pants accompanied by his matching black sneakers similar to the model that Izuku wore.

"Brother!" Izuku yelled jolting Izumi out of his trance as he quickly turned his head around. "Izuku, is that you?" he asked, mild confusion and happiness on his face his orange eyes widened in delight. The others stopped with surprise on their faces as well.

The younger green haired boy walked forward before warmly embracing his older brother, he turned his head towards the blue haired student.

"Ah, Iida it's good to see you again." The bluenette smiled and lightly bowed in returned "Likewise, I see you are recovering well." to which he nodded.

He turned to Uraraka who was fidgeting her fingers, Izumi chuckled before releasing the hug with his brother to pat her on the head. "How are you, Uraraka?"

She smiled brightly before nodding. "I'm doing great!"

He smiled gently before nodding as he turned back to face the whole group.

"It's good to see you brother, but I thought you were still at Yuuei with recovery girl?" Izuku asked.

Izumi smiled gently. "I was discharged by recovery girl shortly after you left as she gave me the okay to go and I decided to pick up the bow that I had requested Hatsume san as well as Power Loader sensei to create after the USJ incident." He stopped to hold up the bow for the three to see to which they looked at it with amazement as it gleamed in the sunlight with its slick edges.

He chuckled upon seeing the bewildered expressions from the young students before he placed the bow gently on a cut tree trunk that was rooted to the ground.

Iida spoke up. "Um, excuse me, Midoriya." Izumi held his hand up in a relaxed gesture to politely interrupt Iida.

"Please, call me Izumi, it's easier that way considering..." He gestured towards himself and Izuku, seeing the possible confusion Iida grunted in acknowledgment as he pushed up his glasses.

"Very well, Izumi. I wanted to ask if you had to attend school today since you aren't in your school uniform." He looked down to look at his current outfit before returning his gaze at the bluenette with a grin.

"Quite observant Iida, no I didn't, recovery girl gave me the day off so I could exercise my body so it functions normally without any faults." He then pointed to the pine tree that he stood in front of before they could clearly see the gashes that stemmed from the origin point of where presumably the arrowhead would be, likely stemming from electricity.

"I decided to practice my archery with the bow Hatsume and Power Loader sensei had made for me since I hadn't practiced in a while but I have to say, they did an incredible job."

Iida raised his hand. Seeing this Izumi chuckled before letting him ask his question.

"Izumi, could I ask you what your quirk is and how it works specifically? I've asked Izuku but he doesn't seem to know the full details." Izumi didn't look surprised as he had already assumed that the bluenette was an eager learner, though he was surprised that Izuku hadn't asked in more detail before.

"Hmm, yeah I suppose I never really thought about it too much since you were the second entry I've ever made." Izuku smiled to which his elder brother returned the favor. "Well I guess there's no harm in telling you guys about it, afterall I think it'll give you a good grasp on quirks as well as applications." ' _Good thing I read that book earlier huh...'_

His gaze dropped to his outstretched palm that faced him.

' _But... I can't tell them about 'that', not yet..."_

He looked up at the three and smiled before sitting on the trunk as a makeshift stool.

He motioned for the others to sit to which they complied.

They all took a seat on the crisp grass, they all sat there eager to hear Izumi's explanation, after all, it would help them wouldn't it?

"Well to begin, most would say that my quirk is akin to electromagnetism or electrokinesis, whichever you call it. At a basic level of understanding, my quirk allows me to manipulate and control the flow of electrons within the body of a target which includes people as well as the air." All three perked up at this newfound knowledge of his power, Izuku was the first to ask a question.

"Are there any kind of limits or drawbacks to your power, brother?" His green eyes gleamed as he smiled, he brought out a spare notebook from his bag as he began to write away.

"Yes, the limitations of my power are entirely dependant on my stamina and concentration." He looked at his open palm.

"It takes a lot out of me to use my power for an extended amount of time, considering a lightning bolt is made out of a vast amount of electrons, it have to be able to control the amount of electrons I take from each individual atom to ensure that the charges are not too unstable, though having this quirk allows me to access and generate electricity stored within my body as it naturally has a positive charge so I can attract electrons even without consciously and actively gathering so I can release the charge when needed."

"But the stress it places on my body if I over exert myself..." He shifted nervously.

"Will not only render me unconscious or weaker but... it can affect my overall lifespan..." The three's eyes widened to extreme levels as they grew concern but he waved them off.

"You don't have to worry about it too much, I've steadily increased my capacity over the years."

"But, does it have something to do with your illness?" Izumi was surprised, to say the least at Izuku's observation before relaxing into a neutral position.

"... Yes." His gaze lowered.

"What kind of illness does he have Deku? he seems perfectly healthy," Uraraka asked her friend.

"Izumi... was born naturally weak due to his immune system being unstable. Of course, it's not life-threatening under light circumstances like a cold and such but his body isn't good at handling heavy amounts of pressure or exertion where... well he starts coughing out a lot of blood." whispered the last sentence as the other two's eyes widened with a collective gasp before they returned their gazes to Izumi who hung his head in defeat.

"Under normal circumstances, I think my limit would have been substantially higher than it is now."

A dreadful silence filled the air.

Feeling the tension between the brothers and the sadness that emanated from both of the usually happy boys, Iida and Uraraka both knew that it was a sensitive topic and decided to move on and ask more questions.

Time went by quickly, Izuku and Iida were fascinated by his explanation and theories on the application of different quirks, although Uraraka was barely able to keep up as she often asked the others to explain it more simply at times.

"Are there any specific applications to your quirk that you commonly use?"

Izumi put his hand on his chin in thought before answering.

"Well yes, I can actively apply the electrons gathered into my system, enhancing the movement speed which leads to a boost of strength as well as reaction time."

Izuku's eyes widened in understanding. "Oh, so that's how you were able to save Kaachan from the Nomu's assault!"

Izumi looked at his brother for a moment before nodding "Yes, that's it."

"But how were you able to survive that attack? Something like that could have killed you." Iida asked, Izumi stared at him before replying "I guess I'm just lucky..." He lied through his teeth. ' _I'm sorry, I can't tell you guys the whole truth... not yet...'_

Uraraka spoke up. "So why does your electricity turn orange?" Izumi's eyes widened slightly before turning his head to the side slightly averting his gaze deep in thought before turning back.

"... Because my other natural affinity is fire." The student's eyes widened.

"You see, most of our quirks are often associated with different elements though this spans outside of the usual fire, water, ice, wind, electricity etc, it can delve much deeper such as warp quirks like the man we encountered at the USJ that spawned all the villains or gravity quirks like yours, Uraraka."

"Because of that, my lightning for lack of a better term shares similar qualities of that of fire as it naturally expels moisture and dust, it's quite similar to that of a sunset so the way we see it, turns the light around it into orange." Izuku nods in understanding as he scribbled the note into his book murmuring different kinds of theories and thoughts, Izumi and the other two chuckled at his brother's antics.

"Does this mean you can control how a strike impacts an enemy?" Iida asked. Izumi smiled at his observation.

"A good observation Iida, and yes I can, which really does help restrain enemies when required, it's why I was able to last so long in hand to hand combat against the Nomu, although it was mostly resistant to my attempts to restrain it's movements due to its shock absorbtion in which it's body shares a similar construction to that of rubber although it's not as strong as it's designed to be absorbing force, I was only able to slow its momentum but it's neuron and electron flow is extremely fowerful and overwhelming due to its size and destructive power. Also as I demonstrated with my archery prowess, when combined with enhanced speed, strength and reaction I'm able to pick off targets easily, trapping them in a state similar to paralyzation, though my power can't go as far as to manipulate the electrons inside a person to move them like a puppet as my powers at a basic level follow more in line with attraction and repulsion of electrons, but who knows... in the future, it is possible to achieve that level of power."

"Are you able to move objects then?" Uraraka asked.

Izumi nodded "Yes, but the effect is weaker or non-existent when an object is either non-conductive or has a counter flow of electrons/neurons like humans and other living beings but overwhelming them with my own electrons can essentially capture it and move it as I please, though to move something that's non-conductive is out of reach at the moment." He demonstrated as he held his hand towards his mechanic bow which sparked with orange electricity before it levitated towards him in a similar fashion to that of his mother, Inko.

Iida applauded and the others soon joined in. He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly before his eyes perked up with an idea. "Hey, do you guys want to see a demonstration?" The three looked at each other with wide eyes before looking back and nodding eagerly, he laughed and picked up his bow.

He was interrupted as a light buzz was heard before Izumi quickly apologized and picked up his phone, as he did his eyes widened slightly.

He turned back to the group who looked at him with slight confusion.

"Sorry guys, I'm afraid I have to go now."

They looked crestfallen but they easily picked themselves back up patting themselves off. "Where are you going bother?" Izuku asked as he stored his notebook and put on his yellow backpack.

He smiled before replying. "I'm going to visit a friend, don't worry I'll be home for dinner."

Izuku stared at his brother before nodding.

Soon after the group and his brother parted ways, it was late in the afternoon when they continued their journey home before parting with Iida at a crossroad leaving Izuku alone with Uraraka under the enchanting orange sky of the sunset. They stood there in silence watching it, they were unaware that their bodies were slowly moving closer together until they made contact.

They both yelped and jumped back, their eyes widened in surprise and their cheeks flushed red but they soon found themselves laughing before continuing the walk in silence once more.

Slightly uncomfortable with the silence Izuku decides to start a little small talk even if he was slightly nervous about talking to especially that of his best friend.

"S-so... how's life?" He awkwardly asked, Uraraka looked at him blankly before bursting out into laughter.

"W-what?" He asked shifting awkwardly, feeling embarrassed.

"I'm sorry, it's just that the 'How's life?' question was just so random..." She took a deep breath to calm herself but found that she still retained some giggles, and soon Izuku joined in as well.

"Anyways, I'd say it's going fairly well, my studies are... fine..." Izuku chuckled.

"You know Uraraka..." His cheeks adopted a light rose pink. "I-I c-could h-help y-you i-if y-you need any h-help."

She turned to him with her mouth spread into a wide smile. "Really! Thanks Deku, you're the best!" She exclaimed holding her fist in the air.

Izuku rubbed the back of his head sheepishly as he covered his face.

"N-no p-problem Uraraka..." She giggled upon seeing Izuku's reaction.

They continued walking along the path, occasionally cars went by along with some strangers who paid them no mind.

Izuku's head lighted up with a thought.

"I've always wanted to ask Uraraka." She tilted her head. "Yeah?"

"Why do you want to be a hero?" The question made Uraraka stop dead in her tracks, the only response to his question was silence.

"Oh, umm sorry, I was just curious that's al-" Uraraka looked up at him with an indiscernible look in her eyes but a smile was present on her face.

"It's okay Izuku." He stopped his rambling before returning his frantic arms to his side to face her.

They kept walking as she explained.

"Money?" Izuku exclaimed, she rubbed her head sheepishly.

"Yeah... I mean my goal isn't as noble as yours or Iida's but... ah, um, nevermind." She cast her head low and turned her head away from Izuku but perked up upon warm contact, she turned to see Izuku holding his hand on her shoulder a calm and welcoming smile present on his face, his eyebrows creased with worry.

"It's fine, please continue, I promise it won't make me think any less of you..." She could feel the words that came from his mouth put her at ease, his words promising.

She stopped for a moment to stare deep into his emerald eyes before her lips pursed into a slight smile as she nodded.

"Well, my parents own this construction company." She said while fidgeting with her chocolate brown hair.

"But... we haven't gotten any work recently, so we're kind of broke and we're in need of money..." Izuku's worry only grew until an idea popped.

"Hey, wouldn't your quirk be useful for construction work, I mean your zero gravity would be really useful for lifting things!" She perked up holding two index fingers in an excited gesture.

"Yeah, I told them that too, I mean it would probably take a whole lot off their shoulders and reduce a lot of costs, but..." Her eyes started to water as she wavered.

 _"When I grow up I want to help you and mommy"_

 _A warm and kind hand rubs her head lightly, in front of her were two adults, a sandy blond man and a brunette, similar to herself. Their faces were compassionate with smiles on their faces._

 _"I appreciate the thought Ochako, but as your dad, I'd be even happier if you could achieve your own dream." He chuckled before spreading his arms out wide in a welcoming gesture._

 _"When that happens, you can take us to Hawaii!" The two chuckled, while the little girl looked at her feet._

 _"Daddy..."_

She tilts her head down a shadow covering her face. "Uraraka..." Izuku reached out to her but she looks up at him with determination in her eyes, "I want to be able to help people as well as my family, to give them the life they deserve." Izuku's eyes widened at the sudden change but nods knowingly before giving her a bright smile that emanated light from behind him.

Her eyes widened upon Izuku suddenly embracing her, it was somewhat awkward but she knew that she needed it. She soon reciprocated the hug melting into Izuku's warmth, she was glad that she had such kind and caring friends.

"Thank you."

Uraraka was the first to back away from the hug as she giggled.

"What is it?" Izuku asked genuinely confused.

"Oh, it's nothing but I want to thank you and Iida for being supportive and awesome friends, I know this year's going to kick off great!" She exclaimed happily while pumping her fist into the air, Izuku joined in as they laughed and joked until they parted their own ways and saying their goodbyes.

Izuku opened the door to his family's apartment, the entryway was well lit as he placed his shoes in front of the step, as he stood he could smell something delicious coming from the kitchen area.

Upon reaching the source he found his mother wearing an apron as she stood cooking dinner for the family while happily whistling a tune.

He smiled and calmly notified her of his presence to prevent startling her. "Mom, I'm home!"

She turned with mild confusion on her face before it was overrun with happiness and joy. She quickly put down her kitchen utensils before hurrying over to greet her son, wrapping him in a warm hug to which he chuckled and gladly reciprocated.

"Welcome home dear, how was school?" She asked, slight anticipation and hopefulness present on her face.

"Ah, it was really good, I was able to hang out with my friends on my way here and we were able to chat with brother!" He smiled.

Her eyes widened suddenly upon realization. "Oh, that's right, how is Izumi doing, has he recovered? Is he eating well?" Inko started worrying as she fidgeted with her fingers. Izuku nodded which calmed Inko down as she hunched over, letting go of a breath she didn't know that she was holding, "Ah, that's a relief."

She straightened with her hands lightly clasped. "So, where is he? did he not come back with you Izuku?"

"Oh, no he said that he was going to visit someone when we visited him earlier." Inko's worried expression softened into an understanding nod.

"Okay then, well would you be able to set up the table Izuku dear, dinner should be ready soon." He nodded before looking out the window which had a nice view of the city as well as Yuuei.

 _'I wonder what's taking him so long?'_ He thought to himself but he eventually shrugged it off.

As the sun set a boy with green hair and calm orange eyes stood in front of the psychiatric ward and sighed before checking the time,

' _5:30 huh...'_

He slid his phone back into his jacket pocket before he walked through the automatic doors, before going to the reception who happily gave him the location he needed.

The hallways were well lit and relatively quiet as his footsteps lightly echoed through the white halls, he greeted the occasional nurse and patient that went by giving kind smiles and greetings to which most responded in kind. He kept walking but perked up slightly upon seeing the name he was looking for.

As he reached his destination, he stood in front of the door before taking a deep breath before knocking gently, a calm and gentle voice was heard inside, giving him permission to enter as he slid the door open.

The person inside looked at him with mild surprise but quickly melted into one of welcome with a smile to which he gladly returned as their soft grey eyes watched him gently as he sat down on a spare stool in the room, they had their hands clasped over their lap as they sat on the bed watching him patiently, the orange sunset could be seen through the golden drapes as it bathed the room with a light orange.

"Sorry for being late..." He sheepishly rubbed the back of his head before returning it back to his lap clasping his other as he smiled.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **And that's it for chapter 8! I hope you all enjoyed it.**

 **Well, I'm thinking of progressing into the sports festival arc for the next few chapters (which will probably take a long time though I won't go over every detail) as there'll be plenty of opportunities to strengthen the ideas of the main relationships between Izuku, Izumi, Bakugo, Todoroki, and Uraraka so look forward to that I guess.**

 **Anyways, if you can, please leave a comment or review and please let me know if I need to correct an error or if you have a suggestion as well as any tips and criticisms will be appreciated!**

 **Also, I'm planning on doing some chapters featuring some classmates of 3-A so leave any character suggestions in the reviews or PM me and let me know about your own character, which I'll probably include unless it's too far fetched, though of course, this will come in later(probably)**

 **Thanks again for reading**

 **Ignis**


	9. Home

**Author's Notes:**

 **Hey guys, apologies for updating so late, I've been having trouble coming up with good lines and points in the story but blah, a bunch of procrastination as well as general writer's block I guess (which sucks.), anyways from this point until the next... I dunno like 234565634254 chapters (just kidding, it probably won't take THAT long... I think.) we'll be covering the Sports festival arc of My hero Academia (or "Boku no")**

 **A lot of fluff and backstory is present in this story, though the next few chapters will be about the actual sports festival.**

 **Also by the request of the user Percbeth 4 Life, here's more Nejire!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Midoriya Apartment**

The evening had started to set in since the late Saturday afternoon's retirement. The skies had turned into a cordial and glimmering orange, slowly overtaking the blue of the afternoon sky. A gentle and warm vibrance seeping into the cooled hue as the tips of the soothing blanket evolved slowly into a rich and deep purple. The sun lay deep over the horizon, taking a last peek at the glimmering city before it ventured onto the other parts of the world that need its guidance. The moon sat in the far distance, watching from the opposite ends to watch over the city below in the sun's absence. Lights had started to appear within the city and the many apartment blocks of Tokyo as many had returned home from their jobs as only a few remained outside to enjoy the calm and friendly atmosphere. The number of cars on the streets dwindled as the most prominent noise in the neighborhood was the quiet chorus of birds chirping away to those willing to hear along with the soft breeze of the wind.

Inside the Midoriya apartment, the two green haired brothers sat comfortably on their couch that resided within the apartment's spacious living room. Beyond where the two sat was a large flat screen television, of which was installed on the cream wall, a knee height drawer of sorts was stationed under it to keep all of their equipment needed to operate the monitor. In front of the two boys was a plain square table, of which the wooden surface of the platform was enveloped in a flurry of an excessive amount of various notebooks and paper, scrambled with an intermingled collection of pens and pencils within the mix.

Deeper within the apartment was Inko, who was currently working in the kitchen that was assigned beside the corridor that led to the apartment's various rooms as well as the front door's entrance. The jade haired woman stood in front of a large pot with a wooden spoon in hand as she happily hummed a tune she had likely heard from the radio this morning while stirring up whatever was inside of the pot. An assortment of prepared dishes was already stationed around the kitchen's counters with a steaming rice cooker preparing a dish of rice patiently in the corner.

The large screen porch window that sat next to the two boys allowed for the passing sky to bloom the sprinkles of dots in the sky. The calming sight of the shining stars watched over the two as the brothers happily talked and discussed a few topics, of which the younger of the two had seemingly asked something of his brother, of which made the amber-eyed boy stop in his tracks to think. Putting up a hand to his chin in thought as he stared at the boy curiously with a raised eyebrow.

"The sport's festival, huh? I guess it is about that time..." Izumi questioned as he looked up from his notes, laying his pencil as well as the notebook down onto the table, of which he started to tidy the mess up upon noticing how messy it had gotten. Izumi had worn a simple loose black shirt, accompanied by fitted beige cargo pants. His brother, who had sat opposite of him had worn a comfy brightly colored All Might merchandise shirt and black sweatpants in preparation to retire for the night. As expected of the number one fanboy if the number one hero. Izuku nodded eagerly in response, his emerald eyes gleaming with excitement along with a soft smile.

"Mhm, Aizawa sensei had said that the festival would be held in the following week on Monday during school time." He replied with his finger to his chin, to which Izumi nodded in response with a small smile, placing his hand on his cheek in reminiscence of the past year's events.

"I see..." He turned towards Izuku, his amber eyes softly offering a reassuring stare as he ruffled the boy's hair with a kind chuckle. "Well, do your best Izuku. Mom and I will be watching you." He said enthusiastically, of which resulted in the freckled boy blushing from the encouragement. Despite the expected support from a brother like him, he was still slightly flustered given his only recent development of receiving compliments from his new friends, but his smile conveyed his appreciation of his brother's support. The two turned towards the kitchen, of which Inko stood near the counter window with a bright and proud smile on her face seemingly having listened in on the two's conversation.

"I'll be watching from the TV at home when it comes around since I have time off from work on Monday, so do your best honey!" She said, bringing out one of the dishes and placing it on the dinner table. The woman then walked up to the two, leaning down to kiss the crown of Izuku's head affectionately, offering her child a kind smile as he turned to meet her gaze. "You've grown up so much, Izuku... I'm proud of you."

Izuku chuckled before standing up to embrace the shorter woman lovingly as he held her tight with a maternal passion. "Thanks, mom."

As the two separated, she kindly smiled towards the two with a soft nod before returning back to her work in the kitchen upon hearing a familiar whistle of steam rise from the rice cooker. Knowing that dinner would be prepared soon, the two opted to sort out all of their papers to leave the coffee table clean for later use, sparing their mother from having to help them tidy their own mess.

Izumi turned towards Izuku with a curious expression as he sat back on the sofa, all of his notes tidied into a neat pile. His hand rested upon his knee, of which the palm of his hand allowed for his cheek to perch upon it's soft yet slightly calloused surface. "Are you sure that you're prepared for what's to come? I mean, the sports festival isn't something that people take lightly, especially considering that it offers a prime opportunity for people participating to be noticed by the pro heroes watching and potentially have the chance to be recruited in their agencies. So people will obviously be trying their hardest to earn the top spot of the tournament..." The boy paused for a moment in thought before continuing, "Besides, your control over One for All is still precarious, not to mention that it will likely leave you in a state of a disadvantage if you end up sacrificing an arm or two."

Izuku sighed at the remark but nodded in response as the statement was indeed true. "Yeah... Using All Might's quirk will put me in a major disadvantage if I use it too early..." He raised his head to face Izumi with a determined expression on his face, the fire burning in his rich emerald eyes evident to him. "...But as long as I remember what All Might taught me, then I should be fine."

The amber-eyed student blinked, his expression softened as his lips curled into a slight smile, "Hmm, you mean the egg in the microwave metaphor, right?" Izuku nodded in response, of which made his brother act in a similar fashion. A small sigh escapes Izuku's lips as he rounded up all of his papers and notebooks in a similar fashion to Izumi's own small stack, though his darkened eyes shifted to the side uncomfortably, and Izumi more than knew the reason why. The third year student could only huff in response to the boy's behavior. Izuku's emerald eyes latched onto him curiously upon feeling a small pat on his shoulder, Izumi only offered him a softened gaze with kind and reassuring eyes, "Izuku, One for All is your own quirk now. Try not to think of One for All as something that you borrowed from the number one hero, it's something that you earned on your own accord, or else it'll hold you back. You earned it from him because you have the makings and spirit of a great hero, and I think that All Might feels the same."

Izumi was more than aware of Izuku's lack of belief within himself as his upbringing with Katsuki had taken a toll on his own self-esteem. The topic of bullying was something that naturally wouldn't leave his peripheral. He had grown up with the single yet constant reminder of who he was to the world because he wasn't born special like others, it was something that he had yearned for ever since he saw that one image of All Might's bright smile, yet when the time came, reality came crashing down on his dreams. Besides, he was there to listen to Izuku's small bubble of self-doubt to All Might upon finally meeting the pre-requisites of the number one hero's training. The fateful morning where his life would change forever.

 _I'm too blessed... but I feel like I'm cheating..._

Those words had summed up his feelings upon receiving the power of All for One, and to be fair, many would feel the same. Not every man is born equal, Izuku knew this all too well. From being a quirkless nobody in everyone else's eyes to having one of the if not the most powerful quirk in the world known to man, one could certainly find it like using a cheat code within a video game. The common phrase, "With great power comes great responsibility" comes heavily in this regard as the boy, who had learned to accept the truth of his weakness from such an early age would consider more than just the benefits of acquiring such a power. The pressure of having to succeed the world's symbol of peace, the doubt and hesitation upon considering these mind breaking truths would definitely break even some of the strongest of men.

Izuku smiled appreciatively of Izumi's words, they really did help set him straight when he needed him most. He was glad to have someone like him, as well as everyone else around him supporting him on the journey of reaching his previously near unattainable dream of becoming a hero. "Thanks, Nii-san."

Izumi nodded in response before folding his leg over the other before perching his arm on top of his knee that supported his head as his hand cupped his cheek. "I may not know how One for All works, but remember that even if you have a tremendous power like that, the sports festival is made to test your own individual strength. That means that it won't only test your abilities to beat the enemy in front of you, but it also factors in how you do it and how you overcome an obstacle with or without the use of your quirk." Izuku knew that those words had come from experience, he himself had been gifted with an incredibly dangerous quirk which had come with it's fair share of incidents that would never be spoken again within the family. He too had gone through many ordeals where power had proven to become more like a curse rather than a boon.

Leaning back, he turned his head to the side; his amber orange eyes were attracted to a single framed image that sat on the polished wooden table that sat between the two chairs, joining them together. A smile formed on his face as nostalgia welled within him, though he simply shook his head but his smile remained. "Over the years the sports festivals are held, we know that the event is primarily consisting of three major events." He started, Izuku turned his full rapt attention onto him as he spoke.

"One is a preliminary individual test to cut down the number of contestants, the most likely one being an obstacle race of sorts to determine the collective students' abilities to overcome different types of obstacles. Two, a teamwork based event where you will need to participate with a team to take down others for the purpose of testing skills related to co-operation as well as an individuals ability to judge their compatibility with one another in terms of quirks and fighting styles." The freckled boy nodded, furiously writing down on his notebook as well as adding a few little notes on the side, making Izumi smile at his brother's perceptive and detailed judgement in making notes, not to mention his ability to plan ahead. Though even if his skills could be considered to be above that of many others, there was a necessary warning that he needed to mention before Izuku got carried away.

"By the way, I must warn you that you'll have to be careful in proceeding against those of different classes, not to mention your own." He spoke in a calm yet stern tone. Izuku stopped in his tracks as he looked up to eye him curiously, Izumi sighed knowing that Izuku had most likely not considered the possibility yet, but he understood that Izuku would most likely not want to think of such an experience again, but many others saw it as more than just a nightmare but rather a boon. "Your class especially had the misfortune to experience a real villain attack."

As expected, Izuku tilted his head to the side in confusion, though his lips curled downwards at the rather bitter memory. "What's so important about that?" The emerald eyed boy asked innocently, though it was clear that he didn't want to talk about it too much and Izumi obliged. "What's important is that you guys had successfully been able to survive on your own in a life or death threatening situation. You may not know it yourself, but consider the fact that being able to experience such a thing is a necessary thing for heroes to grow. You've gained a will to survive and fight to protect lives, being able to handle high tension situations like that will mean that you won't easily succumb to pressure, not to mention that you become more decisive and confident that the actions you make are right..." Izumi folded his arms and sighed again, though it wasn't directed towards Izuku from what he could tell, rather by the way he looked out into the glass door frame that painted the view of the evening sky.

"Like it or not, but people tend to gang up against those who have an advantage in a competition. They're the largest threat that they feel the need to extinguish, not to mention that they want to prove themselves better than you." He turned his head towards Izuku, his amber orange gaze meeting his own emerald green one. "I do hope you understand where I'm getting at here." He cautioned worriedly. Izuku considered his words for a moment before his mouth opened in the dawn of the realization before he grimly nodded. "So we'll be put in a disadvantage from the start by the other classes." Izuku said quietly, Izumi nodded confirming the truth of his statement.

"That's right, but I should also mention that works the other way too." Izuku's eyes widened for a moment before his expression contorted into one of though in ponderance of what he could mean.

 _"The school has left us a chance. Depending on our results at the sports festival, they'll consider our transfer to the hero course."_

 _"If you get too carried away, I'll sweep your feet out from under you."_

 _Carried away, huh?_

Izumi seemed to notice the realization that bloomed on Izuku's face as he nodded. "Some may consider being able to survive such a significant event such as a villain attack as an achievement of sorts. And by all means, it is one... but people who let it get to their head tend to forget about the small details, and instead find themselves losing because of something they foolishly decided to turn around from."

The two fell into silence for a moment, Izuku lowered his gaze in thought as he started chewing on the end of his thumb, a swarm of possibilities crowding his mind. There were definitely some he saw in his class that would do such a thing, and it was no doubt something that he had to genuinely consider. However, he was awoken from starting his mumbling trance as he felt his brother's reassuring touch on his shoulder, who offered him a kind smile. "Don't worry about it too much Izuku, it's just something that you need to take note of. Remember, this is a competition to take the top spot and be noticed by those higher up. Be confident in your abilities and I'm sure they'll shine through the crowd." Izuku blushed at the compliment, not to mention the imagery of him being more special than the others much to his reluctance but he nodded appreciatively at his brother's support.

"Alright." He said quietly, though a small smile made it's way onto his face as Izumi smiled and ruffled his hair playfully, eliciting a small chuckle from the boy. Their natural and supporting bond would always lighten the atmosphere into a more comfortable one, they were simply comfortable around each other due to the fact that they believed in each other's trust, not to mention that many events had brought the two closer as a result of experiencing things many were lucky not to have. Deciding to continue where he left off, Izumi sat back, sinking into the couch.

"Finally, we have the tournament." Izumi finished with a reminiscent smile as he remembered his own experiences of participating in the rather thrilling one on one event. Izuku couldn't help but become nervous at the prospect of having to face someone on his own, but he knew that there may not always be someone nearby to help him, not to mention that it was necessary that he be able to stand up and fight for himself when the situation called for it. "Of course, I'm sure you know the purpose of such an event. It is the main reason people tune into the sports festival after all." Izuku nodded eagerly, having seen many of the past year recordings of the event where the aspiring students were pitted against each other in a show of power and technique, he couldn't deny that it was stimulating and exciting.

"Mhm, they were always fun to watch. But I still think that yours were always the best to watch, Nii-san." Izuku complimented idly coupled with a bright and enthusiastic smile that emanated light from behind him.

 _'So_ pure...' Izumi thought as he could only smile and nod in appreciation of his brother's kindness. He quickly moved to sit beside Izuku before wrapping his arm around Izuku, hugging him lightly. The latter happily warmed up to the embrace as he leaned in enjoying his warmth.

"Do your best, we'll be proud of you no matter what place you finish in," Izumi whispered, patting his head softly as Izuku nodded wordlessly. The two separated soon after to continue their discussions of the sports festival, even going as far as to consider some event possibilities. In the middle of their rewatchings of some previous year recordings, a soft melody played from Izumi's phone, of which buzzed lightly as it was pressed against his legs from within the confines of his pockets. Izumi's brow raised curiously as he wondered who could be calling him right now, though he decided to quickly draw out his phone to assess who it was.

As he did so, a soft smile spread across his face as a brief notification text from a certain cheery bluenette had asked for him to meet her in the resident park that was near both of their houses. Taking a moment to quickly text back a reply, he pocketed his phone again before turning to Izuku who had noticed his brief distraction. "Sorry, I need to go out for a bit to meet Nejire. We can continue this later, okay?" He apologized but Izuku simply nodded, waving off his apology with a small knowing smile before getting up himself.

"That's fine, but you'll still be having dinner with us, right?" Izumi nodded in response to his innocent question. Izuku nodded back before moving to turn the TV off and after, went to help Inko with whatever she needed.

The amber-eyed boy took a moment to stare back at the evening sky that was starting to dip into a soft violet. With a parting sigh at the pretty sight, he moved to stand near the kitchen entrance to call out to his mother. He peered around the corner to find the woman sanding over a large pot, Izuku had stood nearby and chopped up any spare vegetables needed for the dishes. "Mom, I need to go out for a bit. I'll be back shortly." Izumi gently called out to her as to not accidentally scare her.

Inko turned her head towards her son, her hand still attentive of whatever she was cooking. She simply smiled and nodded in response to his call as she went back to continue cooking dinner.

"That's fine, be safe honey."

He took a moment to look back towards her, his gaze softened before smiling softly, waving back towards her.

"Of course."

Walking over to the entrance of the apartment, he briefly sat on the ledge step to put on a normal pair of black and white sneakers before standing up and reaching out to grab a comfortable jacket on his way out. Izuku watched as his brother had left the apartment on whatever errand he was handling, a few plates and silverware cutlery in his hands. His eyes were glued to the door since his brother's departure but he seemed to smile lightly and chuckle before moving to continue setting up the table for his return.

* * *

The sound of his footsteps brushing against the lightly carpeted floor echoed the hollow halls. The cream colored hall was illuminated by the gentle hotel lights that glowed from the corners of the sturdy walls, lightly illuminating the ceiling before a line of lights settled in making a more bright atmosphere as of the sun's retiring absence.

It was relatively empty except for the few people who came to their homes to turn in for the day, a few greeted him with tired smiles to which he gave them a polite wave. He was rather glad to have nice neighbors who inhabited the rooms next to his, their quiet and tired natures upon returning from their respective jobs didn't have them offer many conversations, but a simple smile and wave were enough for him as well as them. He had heard from some of his friends that their's can get pretty rowdy in contrast with his own.

Making his way down to the entrance lobby of the building complex, he was greeted by the familiar sight of the napping receptionist that sat quietly snoring away behind their monitor. Not wanting to bother them, he quietly exited through the front doors to be met with a refreshing cold breeze. It was a particularly normal setting for this time of day, not too cold but it was refreshing to those cramped up in office jobs all day. Glazing his eyes across the street, a few people had walked back and forth from his vision, soft idle chatter was brought across the wind though he didn't pay too much attention to that. Having no reason to stop, he continued making his way to his destination of meeting Nejire at the park.

Taking his time in glancing up towards the sky but being mindful of staying on the right path along with upping his pace from not wanting to keep Nejire long. His feet stopped in their tracks, halting the sound of his footsteps briskly hitting against the concrete as he noticed a familiar head of blue hair seated on a two-seated bench stare off into the sky with a gentle expression on her face. It was quite the opposite of how she would usually act around others as she was a lot more energetic and free, but it was a welcome and charming sight seeing her have a look so calm and peaceful.

She had worn a light black puffer jacket with a simple white shirt underneath it that had a splash of black painted across her chest. Below, she wore a comfortable set of blue jeans and brown ankle boots to keep her legs warm from the cooling breeze as well as the night's approaching cold. A comfortable scarf was fastened loosely around her neck as she seemed to sink into its warmth, her gloved hands patted her thighs lightly as she hummed a soft melody in waiting of Izumi's arrival.

Smiling to himself, he treaded onwards. His continued footsteps alerted the bluenette of his presence as she turned her head towards him with an expression of slight surprise, but it soon morphed into a bright smile as she hopped onto her feet to meet him halfway. The soft chirping of birds rang around them as they commemorated their reunion with a warm hug, along with exchanging their own brief greetings before sinking into each other's comfortable embrace. The two smiled giddily as they broke off from each other, but continued the link of their ties by intertwining their fingers and locking them together firmly. With a smile, Nejire led him towards the park bench she had been seated on previously, to which the forest haired boy happily complied. Together they sat on the wooden seat with warm smiles in their warm company, the pleasant sight of the glistening stars starting to appear from the seemingly endless blanket of nightfall.

"So, what's up? Was there something you needed of me, or was it just that you wanted to meet up with me?" Izumi asked the smiling bluenette with curiosity glimmering in his amber eyes. Whatever her answer may be, he always would enjoy her company. The wavy-haired girl giggled lightly before moving to hug his arm before resting her head on his shoulder, all the while maintaining his gaze.

"Close, but I came to tell you that Principal Nezu wants class 3-A to be there at the sports festival as a measure of 'extra security'" She said simply, her smile had numbed down to a soft-lipped line as she returned her gaze to the endless sky. Izumi raised his brow curiously, though it certainly did make sense that the principal would do such a thing.

Ever since the USJ attack, it's been taking the news by storm with the rise of this new group called the "League of Villains", though the man prospect that piqued everybody's attention was the bio-engineered weapon, the Nomu. The monster's presence was alarming not to mention that most that had been granted the details of it's creation felt more than disturbed. While there were people who had inherited meta-morphing quirks would gain the appearance and traits of different creatures or even substances, though the humanoid creature was something man-made rather than a creature birthed by mother earth's hands.

The upperclassmen of Yuuei would certainly be considered to be reliable agents to be counted on, considering that they have a good sense of navigation of the school's grounds, not to mention that they've already been trained to graduate by the end of the year to officially become heroes. But what exactly they were needed to do, Izumi didn't know, so he let her continue to which Nejire happily obliged. She smiled upon seeing the look of thought appear over Izumi's expression, it was a trait that showed he thought things through.

"He said that we would be allocated a class to watch over the students attending, and he also said that we're allowed to sit with them if we wish." She said, her eyes drifting back towards the amber-eyed student beside her. He turned his head up in thought. Thinking about it, he did consider that it may be uncomfortable having men in black suits watch over the crowd as a form of protection. Having people they recognized as relatively friendly would indeed make the atmosphere much lighter, besides, the sports festival was for entertainment, people didn't need to feel as if they were going to be assassinated. Izumi nodded in response as he turned towards the bluenette.

"Alright, so do we know which classes we've been assigned to take care of?" Izumi inquired, Nejire nodded affirmatively with a disarming smile before divulging in a small fit of giggles, covering her mouth to not seem impolite with the thought that occurred in her mind.

"Yep. He said that you'd be taking care of class 1-A, since most of them are quite familiar with you, Mr. Hero." She teased, poking his chest; causing the forest haired boy to blush but chuckle in acknowledgement of that fact. Besides, Izuku was inside that class as well, so perhaps it did make sense that he would be posted there, though he would never object to such a job.

"Haha, I guess that makes sense." He replied lamely, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head at the rather obvious prospect. Nezu always did want the best for his students, what better way to make them feel safe than give them someone they know of already. Nejire giggled for the same reason, though she did have something else she needed to mention.

"Not only that but Togata, Tamaki and I will also be with you!" She cheered in an excited manner with a closed-eyed smile. Izumi widened his eyes in surprise, but he quickly came to understand why. Seeing as the three had always worked best together even if their individual strength and skill was that of the top of their class, perhaps Nezu had thought it best to bunch them together rather than split them up. It wasn't as if there weren't other combos and teams amidst the rest of the class, though those three seemed to have the most chemistry. Even if they had provisional hero licenses, they weren't allowed to act independently and fight on their own unless certain circumstances were at play. They were to be granted allowance to follow on any signs of suspicious activity as long as the higher ups were aware of their position. It only made him curious as to why the rodent principal had decided to bunch them with him, not that he was complaining. Perhaps it was also due to his close relation to the three that he decided to do so.

"Sounds fun." He said enthusiastically as Nejire agreed wholeheartedly as she sat up to stare intensely at his face, he was of course fully prepared for what was about to come.

"I know, right! I can't wait to see what kind of quirks they have! We only know a few of them since we only watched battlefield B at the day of the entrance exams for the freshmen, though I'm really excited to see how creative they are with their abilities, not to mention what kind of combos they can come up with! It would also be nice to meet them in person, I can't wait to make some new friends! Maybe Ryuko would take interest in some of the new freshman, though she did mention that she was rather picky concerning picking heroes for her agency, though then again, I was chosen at her agency in my first year at Yuuei, so maybe we could get more people with us! Though we haven't had a great deal of people recruited, though the office seems pretty quiet a lot of times." The bluenette frantically ranted excitedly to the boy beside her, to which he could only chuckle and agree with whatever she went on about patiently.

As the two finished their talk about their own thoughts of how the next sports festival would go, the two had settled into a comfortable silence as they resumed watching the world pass by. Izumi turned towards the bluenette to which she did the same thing, he smiled as he squeezed her hand lightly eliciting a soft giggle of contentment.

"It really is quite nice... being able to spend time like this with you, watching the beautiful sky..." Izumi said softly while Nejire could only smile. Though her expression curled into something more sly as she poked his cheek with a cheeky closed eyed smile.

"Gee, I didn't know that you were such the romantic, dear!" She teased lightly with a small giggle, the amber-eyed boy could only laugh in response.

"Maybe, but it's true. I really do enjoy being with you Nejire, I wouldn't want to do anything else." Nejire's face flushed as her surprised expression quickly melted into one of rare bashfulness, though that didn't stop her from feeling the same as she simply replied with a soft "Yeah... it's nice being able to spend our time peacefully where we can take a break from all this hero stuff." Izumi nodded in response to her quiet comment before he leaned in to kiss her forehead softly, earning a few giggles from the bluenette before he joined in the fit of laughter before settling back into his seat.

His head turned back to the sky that was graced with the now visible array of sparkling stars. This was a common occurrence within their many outings, with their training in serving the world as it's protectors, they rarely had time to admire what was around them. Many would simply forget about the beauties that this world had to offer, though it was only why they needed to work hard to preserve such a calm peace. "Mhm, but we'll still play the roles we've taken on, when we are needed. That's what being a hero is all about, right? Like a stage play, though the situation is more than just entertainment for those that watch." Izumi explained with an open hand. Nejire thought about it for a moment, taking a second to envision it within her head before smiling in agreeance.

"Yeah, that's right."

The soft buzz of his phone had once again taken his attention as he quickly excused himself and brought out the display.

 _Izuku: We'll be having dinner soon,_ _when will you be coming back?_

To be honest, he had forgotten about returning in the first place. If not for Izuku, he probably would have forgotten it entirely unless Nejire would bring it up at a later point. The amber-eyed student let out a soft exhale that spoke tones of his reluctance yet there were hints of gratefulness in his small smile. Dinner was important after all.

 _Iwaizumi: Yeah, I'll be heading back now. I'll see you soon._

 _Izuku: Okay, see you then._

Swiftly pocketing his phone, he returned his attention back to Nejire who sat patiently yet her expression showed that of understanding as it appeared that she knew of what his brief distraction entailed. "Do you need to go home? I suppose it is around that time..." She mused, placing a hand on her chin as she briefly brought out her own phone to check the time, confirming her assumption. Izumi nodded wordlessly, yet his apologetic smile had led to her shaking her head in a reassuring manner. "It's okay. I suppose it's time I get back as well!" She smiled sweetly, yet her averted eyes also showed a hint of sadness in their parting.

Though it appeared that fate had other plans for the two as a low growl had wrestled it's way between the two, breaking the somber atmosphere. The two stared at each other wide-eyed, though Izumi tilted his head to the side upon seeing Nejire's face flush lightly in embarrassment. Though that embarrassment didn't last for too long as she burst out in a laughing fit, it dawned on Izumi that it was her stomach that had yelled out its cries for food. He couldn't help but join in as her laugh appeared to be infectious as her bubbly nature usually was.

Nejire wiped a small tear from her eye, her face still flushed but from her burst of giggles instead. She smiled apologetically towards Izumi as she covered her mouth with one hand. "Hehe, sorry about that. I haven't eaten yet." Her boyfriend nodded understandingly, a small smile playing at the edge of his lips as he waved off her apology.

"It's alright, dear..."

Though as he uttered those words, a thought had crossed his mind. Taking a moment to think on it, he had settled on going through with it. It wasn't as if he hadn't done so before.

He turned his attention back to the bluenette in front of him, who stared at him curiously. "Do you want to come by to my place for dinner? I'm sure my mom would like to see you again." He proposed with a soft smile. Nejire's face had fashioned a look of surprise, though it quickly melted into a bright enthusiastic smile.

"Of course! It's been a while since I've been back at your place. I can't wait to see Inko-chan and Izuku-kun again." She cheered before moving to gently grab Izumi's hand with an eager expression on her face. The amber-eyed boy could only chuckle and nod in response as the two set off back to the apartment.

The two walked hand in hand back through the apartment. Having entered through the front doors of the familiar lobby of the apartment complex Izumi and his family moved in, she let out a soft gasp of giddiness upon seeing the nature of the building as if it was her first time here, though it would really be more like the 300th counting the two and a quarter years the two have known each other. Though she kept her giggles to a softer volume upon noticing the familiar sleepy attendant who was staring at the monitor screen sleepily with a fresh cup of coffee beside them. Upon noticing the two, they offered a kind smile to the pair as they smiled back happily.

Nejire couldn't help but admire the place every time she had come here, it really had a refined yet homey feel to it. It was much different from where she lived, though she didn't mind that much. However, her primary attention was titled to the boy beside her who held her hand. Time had seemingly passed by as the two had finally reached the familiar door that was represented by the polished Midoriya nameplate that hung proudly on top of the varnished brown door. Wringing out a brass key from his pocket, he quickly slid it in and twisted it around for a moment before an audible yet soft click had revealed the door's entry.

Turning his head to the bubbly girl beside him, he gently led her inside before closing the door behind them. Nejire smiled as she stepped up to the small wooden ledge, taking a moment to take in the familiar sight of the gently colored beige walls and wooden supports that lined the corners and turns of the house. The aroma of delicious food had left a noticeable impression on her as it usually did when she would stop by for either dinner or a simple chat with Izumi and Inko, even Izuku at times when he didn't seclude himself from her as of his shyness.

Even Togata and Tamaki would occasionally come by to have a chat with Inko while Izuku would usually stay in his room. It wasn't as if the freckled boy didn't like them, but much rather he was extremely shy and didn't want to get in the way of his brother's social life, or he so believed despite the many attempts the four would try to get past the small introductions. Luckily, he was able to open up a lot more upon being admitted into Yuuei, where he even made a lot of friends by his own efforts, though it wasn't so much a surprise that he only really recognized Nejire due to her frequent visits to their home and had many times where she would join them for dinner.

Izumi chuckled at the expression his girlfriend made before quickly depositing her shoes and hanging his jacket before moving to take hers, which had snapped her out of her trance. She turned to give him a grateful smile as she thanked him silently for his courtesy. As the two had put away all of their extra layers of clothing, they went in hand in hand to greet the other inhabitants of the home.

"Mom, Izuku, I'm back!" He called out to the other two residents of the apartment as the two walked into the open space that combined the living room as well as the space used for dining together. Izuku was the first to notice their entrance as he had sat on the living room's sofa with a bright smile, his head turned to Izumi. "Oh! Welcome back nii-san-" He quickly paused upon noticing Nejire walk behind him, happily waving at the boy.

"Ah! I didn't know you would be here as well, Nejire senpai!" the freckled boy remarked in surprise. Nejire simply grinned holding her hips.

"Well, I haven't had any dinner yet and I couldn't pass up an invitation to have some of Inko-chan's cooking to finish the day!" She buoyantly cheered while Izumi smiled apologetically.

"I'm sorry, I forgot to tell you and mom, Izuku." Though the emerald-eyed boy simply shook his apology off with a wave of his hand.

"It's no problem, I'm sure mom would be delighted to have you with us." He said, moving to grab an extra plate and utensils for Nejire. Before long, hurried footsteps made their way out towards them, revealing the familiar image of the forest haired woman of the family.

"Ah, it's been a while Nejire chan!" Inko's voice rang out as the two turned their heads to the bright and smiling face of the chubby yet exuberant woman. She appeared to have walked in from the kitchen just beyond where the table was as she held a small tray of food, her hands wrapped in scarlet red mitts.

"It's nice to see you again, too Inko chan! I hope I'm not intruding, but I was wondering if I could join you guys for dinner?" She asked politely, to which Inko smiled brightly and nodded joyously. "Of course! You're always welcome here sweetie." Nejire matched the woman's smile and said her thanks as she moved to help with bringing out the other dishes along with helping with the servings of rice for each plate. Smiling at the sight, Izumi went to help the girls with bringing the rest of the dishes out for the night. Once everything was set, an abundance of food was laid out on top of the table, Nejire leaned forward hungrily, drool threatening to spill from her mouth. "Oh my, I may have gone a bit overboard!" Inko commented heartily, not that anyone was complaining about that.

It was only a matter of time before the four finally began to dig into their delicious meal.

"Ah, that was soo good!" Nejire said exhaustedly as she sunk into the comfort of their sofa, her expression melted into one of satisfied delight. Inko, who was sitting opposite of her on a perpendicularly placed sofa next to her one simply chuckled and placed a hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter as she waved her compliment off.

"Oh, you, it's not that good," Inko said, slightly embarrassed yet she couldn't resist enjoying the small swell of pride she felt within her. Nejire shot back up leaning towards her with a most serious expression.

"You're too modest Inko chan! I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'd eat your cooking every day if I could!" The bluenette exclaimed before the two women burst into a fit of giggles that led into a long talk about their lives and catching up with recent events with a broad range of topics due to Nejire's seemingly endless knowledge of conversation topics, though she didn't hesitate to stop and listen to whatever Inko had to say.

The two brothers had volunteered to wash the dishes that remained of their meal, setting aside any leftover foot to be stored in plastic containers before leaving them in the fridge for future use, and potentially breakfast for the next morning. Feeling the rush of warm, heated water on their skin felt rather refreshing of all that had happened in the short amount of time that the year had started. Being able to relax like this and enjoy time with those close to him were memories that Izumi cherished, and were ones that Izuku would come to understand as he grew as well. "You seem happy." Izuku's voice rang out from beside him. Turning his head towards him curiously, the freckled boy merely shook his head as he dried the remaining drops of lukewarm water on a plate before placing it back in a cupboard. "It's just nice to see you smile like that Nii-san, you usually look so troubled sometimes."

Izumi looked at him, his eyes widening slightly before he returned his attention back to the dishes with a closed-eyed smile. "Is that so?" He asked as Izuku chuckled lightly in response.

"Mhm, I'm glad that Togata, Tamaki and Nejire senpai have been such a good influence for you. I still remember how you were since you first joined Yuuei... you always looked so sad when you came back." Izuku drifted off before Izumi handed him another plate for him to dry, which he happily obliged.

The third-year student sighed in reminiscence of those times, "I know... I suppose I just wanted to make life better for us." He said quietly as Izuku nodded in response sadly.

"Ever since dad's passing, mom would always overwork herself for our sake... I just wanted to make things easier for her, and you." He paused a moment before shutting the lid of the tap, halting the flow of the water. "You remember, right? How she would always look so tired when she would come back home late, there were even times where she would fall asleep once she sat on the couch. She was lost without him... we were lost too." Izuku stayed silent as Izumi took in a deep breath to stop himself from shaking. He turned to grab two clean mugs, turning back to Izuku, he looked at him for a moment before nodding appreciatively. Nodding back with a smile, he quickly prepared some hot chocolate, done the way their mother had always done for them.

"I know it was especially hard for you, nii-san... you were there when dad..." He stopped upon realizing what would come out of his mouth next, he quickly covered his own lips in hopes of not getting the right message across, it simply slipped out... but the damage was already done.

He was right, he was there when his father died that night. He remembered it all to well; the feeling of weakness, the pain, the overwhelming and sickening powerlessness to do anything. He was no match for the villains that appeared before him. After that incident, what left of that day was a hospitalized boy who was badly injured, another child clinging onto their broken mother... and their dead father. All he wanted back then when he saw their shadowy silhouettes was their blood. Seeing his battered up and bruised body in front of them, blood pooling underneath him as he weakly called for him to run away... Something in him changed that day, something died there at that moment. He could remember those lonely nights where he would seclude himself from both his mother and his brother.

That night he returned back with a flurry of bandages that was wrapped around his torso and arms, some even on his face. They wanted to help him, they wanted to talk with him about it, but he didn't want to listen. After they left he would quietly open the door of his tomb to traverse to where the other two were located. He found the two sleeping together on the couch, holding each other tightly, their faces red from crying. Sighing to himself, he had gone back to his parent's room to retrieve the large thick blanket that belonged to his mother and father. Every moment he stayed in there, he felt like he was suffocating, the painful and dredged up memories of his father only reminded him of what they lost.

Returning back to the two, he gently draped the covers over them in hopes of not waking them up and placed pillows under their heads. As he was about to leave, he spotted the sharp glint of a glass panel bordered by a wooden frame. Turning his head and walking towards it, he froze upon seeing what was encased in the thick polished wood.

"Why would she keep that..." He remembered himself muttering harshly before he angrily switched off the light and bidding the two a goodnight before wallowing in his own sadness.

Inside that wooden frame was a picture of their family, just the four of them. It was something that they still kept today and was still sitting at it's same spot on the coffee table. The photo included the entire family when Izuku and Izumi were six and eight respectively.

The photo was taken when the family had visited the bustling city of Tokyo, where they had spent a night away with laughs and smiles, they each held a funny pose with bright smiles to be taken in the memory filled image. Their father was the tallest of the four as he wrapped his family in a big hug with a big goofy grin spanning the width of his face, Inko and Izumi were seen smiling and laughing, Izuku proudly stood in front with an all might figure in his hand that he had bought from a nearby donki store.

His name was Hisashi Midoriya. He was a tall and lean man with a clean-cut face who had a curly mess of pitch black hair and warm yet bright orange eyes. he was known for having the ability to breathe fire, though being a popular and star private investigator as well as a chief policeman, his quirk was restricted in use. Izumi had only known the man for around 8 years since the start of his life, but everyone including himself loved him.

They had spent a lot of time together, bonding as a family. He always managed to crack a smile on their faces even in during the darkest of their days. He was kind, patient and passionate, he also had a strong sense of justice due to his desires to help right the world of evil as he would always tell them. He was smart, strong and hardy. He also had a great sense of humour as his jokes would never fail to put a smile on their faces. Even in face of danger, he was always able to handle the toughest situations with a smile, even in his last few moments.

He had died in an attempt to chase after a villain before he was brutally murdered and met his unfortunate demise.

That night, the four of them had set out on a special occasion to eat at a restaurant which had just made a grand opening. It was a particularly fancy restaurant that was commissioned for the higher-ups in the community. Being invited to the event due to Hisashi's connections, the four of them were able to celebrate Izumi's birthday that night in a way that both Hisashi and Inko believed he deserved. The 24th of September was a date that they'd always remember.

For them, it was the date that celebrated both life and death.

On their stroll across the city to pass time before their reservations had come to use, Hisashi was informed by his superiors that there were sightings of three suspicious characters in a nearby local park that required his immediate attention as they didn't want to disturb the public or cause any outbreaks of panic in the city. Despite his initial reluctance to agreeing, he was assured with the fact that there were heroes going along with him to check the scene along with the fact that he was simply needed to ensure that the area was safe and that the situation would be resolved quickly if it were to be a hoax. But what set him on edge was that this park was located right in front of the restaurant the four of them would be attending, knowing that the four of them would be in danger if he didn't do something, he agreed without hesitation.

The man sighed in annoyance as he slipped his phone back in his pocket before he turned his head around to meet the worried gazes of his family. He could only do his best to smile reassuringly as he told them that he needed to go, though he had supplied that he would be able to join them once he was finished. Izumi could still remember his words as he averted his eyes and fiddled around nervously, he was more concerned for his well being than his disappointment of his father parting with them for the time being. The man chuckled to himself as he knelt down and placed a hand on his shoulders causing the boy to look at him.

 _"Don't worry about me, Iwaizumi. I'll be back before you know it... Stay with your mother, alright? I don't want you guys getting separated."_

The child could only nod in understanding, offering a concerned smile. After a few more parting words to both Inko and Izuku as well as a parting kiss for his wife, he quickly fled the scene as his dwindling figure blended in with the crowd that swarmed the city of Tokyo. Trusting their father, the three of them continued onwards to the restaurant, seeing as their reservation's appointment was coming up soon.

He would never forget the dreadful scream the three of them along with the surrounding crowd had heard echo from the dark terrain of trees as they had reached their destination. The three's eyes widened as the strained voice that became the topic of voice among the crowd was recognized as Hisashi's own. Without any pause, the amber-eyed boy broke off from the crowd despite his mother's protests along with his brother's cries. He wasn't sure what overcame him then, but he knew that his father needed his help.

He knew it was dangerous, he wasn't an idiot. Though considering that he would have parted from the rest of his family while risking being spotted by a hostile villain, he supposed he was one; but that didn't matter to him. Izumi ran and ran, not bothering to look back as he was only able to provide a meaningless and absent apology to those in his way. He would push people away from his path, undeterred by some of the probably earned complaints by the pedestrians that crowded Tokyo's streets. Despite the crowd, he would push through every little gap he could find and weave through the sea of people to find the dreaded nightshade forest of black, it's leaves glimmering under the moonlight. By the time he had made his way to the park's entrance, the area had gone silent, absent of any more ill fated screams. With a soft huff, he broke back into a sprint with a desperate hope of finding his father alive.

Hisashi was nowhere to be found within a basic view of the park, the pathway lanterns being his only source of navigation across the entire terrain of darkness. His presence absent from any of the concrete paved sidewalks made for visitors as the scene was surrounded by the thick and dark trees that were found heavy in population, he was hidden from the spotlight. He would run, his footsteps echoing in the eerily silent and grave darkness that would conceal a terrible occurrence. The only clue he had leading towards his father was a small flickering light that had grabbed his attention throughout his desperate search of the area, found near the outskirts of the park as he ran and ran. Perhaps it was a distress call that shone through the thick leaves, though he had found that he was the only person nearby the scene, most others having fled since police had arrived and kept the area on lock-down since the bloodcurdling scream that had arose through the darkness had it's intended effect of the mass of people scrambling around in confusion.

His father had a fire breathing quirk, Izumi and Izuku knew this very well because of the various tricks their father would have shown them as children. The light itself was considerably weak, though that wasn't surprising since he would be most likely injured if his cry could call for anything. Even if he was the only one around, he would be damned if he didn't try to help. With the light as his only silver lining to his father, he didn't think twice before breaking back into a sprint towards that single beacon of hope.

Leaves had blurred his vision along with bits of dust clung to his face from the remnants of the rustling leaves, branches scraped his arms as he wildly pushed forward towards a small opening lit by a small fire. The light had become closer and closer, yet as he was about to break into the opening, he tripped on a small protruding root that had caught his foot, shifting him off balance as he crashed to the floor with a painful thud, revealing his presence to those around him.

Izumi could only groan in pain, raising his hand to his head with squinted eyes, though he endeavored to push himself off the ground as his head lifted towards the image that would be burned into his mind for the rest of his life. Despite all the hope that welled within that young child, it wasn't long before he would come face to face with the battered and bloodied body of his father laid strewn in front of three figures, heavily burnt as small embers flickered across his body giving off a small light for all to witness the brutal beating he had suffered.

The three shadow clad figures had a noticeable and stark difference in height. A tall man had stood under the shadowed base of a large tree had simply opted to watch as the brutal beating continued; he appeared to be the oldest of the three purely due to his stature and build towering over the other two yet he did not make a single move to stop nor encourage them. Though his face was concealed in the darkness, the light offered by the moon had offered the sight of the man's sense of fashion as he was well dressed in a black suit, accompanied by a collared white shirts along with black dress pants and matching clean shoes.

Of the two that had stood right beside Hisashi, delivering a mindless assault against the man like mindless creatures, one appeared to be in his early teens. Despite their head being turned away from sight, Izumi could make out a dark maroon red head of hair by the lingering embers that laid across Hisashi's body. The boy was quite a bit taller and had a more muscular frame in comparison to the boy on the opposite side of him, yet he couldn't match how brutal the other boy's assault was on the poor man. The boy seemed to be around Izumi's height, yet when he turned towards Izumi, he could see his eyes flash a cold and merciless blue and bore deep into his soul, paralyzing him. His midnight black hair was disheveled as his appearance was unkempt and pale, though the sheer animosity that the boy exuded had him as still as stone.

Izumi's face was devoid of any color as his amber eyes dulled in fear, he could only stand there motionless, his throat was dry and hitched, failing to make any sound at all as his voice had disappeared. Though despite the fear that coursed in his veins, keeping him in place, he couldn't help but drift his gaze towards the man he had called his father. The man's breaths were shallow as the rise and descent of his chest slowed, yet despite all the pain that he felt, his dull amber eyes turned to meet Izumi's own as a small flicker of recognition sparked within his amber orbs. _"Izumi..."_ He breathed silently, yet the amber eyed boy could hear it all the same. Nothing else mattered to him, the rest of the world was tuned out from the crisis that Izumi faced. The man he had looked up to was there, lying beaten; without any hesitation, he clumsily stumbled towards Hisashi before kneeling at his side, shaking him with a desperate hope to wipe away the clear daze that he was consumed by.

 _"D-dad... no..."_ Izumi cried out, desperately trying to find any sort of hope that he would live. The two boys that had previously assaulted the man had stood aside from Izumi's presence, silently making their way back towards the man's side as their faces were once again cloaked in the darkness. They made no attempt to stop Izumi from trying to save his father, yet he was only a child, it was a fruitless endeavor.

The amber eyed boy felt tears drip from his cheeks, a luminescent orange glow had dyed each drop with a faint light that slowly stained Hisashi's shirt. Whisks of electricity crackled around the boy as his body glowed a soft orange as he continued to cry, he hunched over his father's body as his hands desperately clawed at his eyes to abstain from looking at his father's pained expression.

Darkness would be his only comfort as his hairs stood on end while the lashes of lightning grew stronger and more powerful. The three onlookers had to stand back to avoid being accidentally injured by the field of energy that grew around the boy. It was only when Izumi felt a soft gentle hand rest on his arm that reality would crash back down on the boy as he was met with his father's stern gaze full of pity, blood seeping from his mouth as his hand trembled from the sheer amount of effort it took to hold it there. _"I-Izumi... that's enough..."_ Hisashi croaked out, yet he let out a small grunt of pain, causing his hand to slip away.

Reacting quickly, he swiftly and gently held his smaller hands over Hisashi's own, intertwining their fingers for their desperate yet fleeting company. Tears freely flowed down his cheeks as his hand was brought up to his cheek _"P-please!... don't go..."_ The amber eyed boy sobbed into his father's skin. His eyes widened as he felt Hisashi's hand softly cup his cheek, his eyes darted back from his hand to his father's gaze as he softly smiled at his son. His breathing was heavy and labored yet his arm was slowly brought across the back of Izumi's head, bringing the boy close to his chest with the last remaining strength he could muster.

 _"I'm sorry Iwaizumi... I don't have much time left... please tell... your mom and your brother... my last thoughts... were of them..."_ He said softly, the soft vibrations drumming through Hisashi's chest brought Izumi to shut his eyes and return his embrace. Hisashi could only shift his gaze up to the night sky, framed by the darkened leaves of the forest around him. It was a pity that his life would have to come to an end, but he knew that this day would have come eventually. The muffled sobs of Izumi's cries sang a sad melody in his final moments, though his eyes returned to the heartbreaking sight of his son laid against him. There was only one last thing that he could do before he left, and from how his body began to wear, he knew he didn't have much time left.

With a soft pat on his head, Izumi looked up to his father with reddened cheeks and puffy eyes. With a weak motion to come closer towards him, Izumi hurriedly moved to his side. Knowing what he was about to do, the red haired assailant moved to stop them, but the man had simply grabbed his arm with a sturdy and firm force. They turned around to face him, a look of shock, anger and surprise on their face; though the man did not budge, only offering a look of disapproval along with a shake of his head. They didn't know what the man had planned, but this was certainly not a part of what was supposed to happen. Nevertheless, he was the one who had the absolute say in everything, so he had no choice but to trust him. With a silent grumble, they lowered their arm and retracted their steps back beside the man, the other boy simply staring in a daze.

A look of concern and slight confusion was evident on Izumi's face, though his eyes widened as Hisashi gently pulled Izumi's head towards him to meet with his own. As their foreheads gently connected, his eyes were closed as he offered a small smile. Izumi could only look at him with a storm of emotions, though a piercing pain had escalated within his temple, causing him to reel back painfully. He cried out as a strange mark glowed on the center apex of his forehead, though it shone brightly, Izumi could feel a surging flame of heat well up within him. Hisashi could only stare at him with a pained look of sadness, "I'm sorry that this had to happen... I love you." Was all he could say before darkness took over him.

Light had entered the amber eyed boy's vision as his head felt clear and purged of any past pain. His eyes widened as he clutched his head to recover from the overwhelming feeling, yet as he remembered where he was, he found himself looking upon his father's stilled corpse. The rise and descent of his chest had vanished as his eyes were permanently shut.

 _"D-dad...?"_ He muttered, his voice strained and scared as he could only stare in disbelief. In an instant, he had found himself beside the man's body as he once again shook his father with a pleading desperation, though this time it was just a fruitless and wasted effort. Tears once again began to stream down his face; Izumi could feel the absence of his father's soul, though he still couldn't accept it himself.

 _"Don't leave me!"_ Izumi screeched angrily, yet his words could only fall to deaf ears. With a huff, the red haired assailant swiftly lifted his arm to attack Izumi. Flickering embers had started to appear over his scarred skin, yet he found the boy already knocked a few feet away from his father's corpse by the hand of the tall well dressed man. The man sighed through the mask that they wore, his voice distorted through the mechanism planted on his face. The blow wasn't enough to knock Izumi out, though it certainly did make him aware of their presence. The young boy glared at the man as well as the two assailants who stayed in the shadows and out of the man's way, he sneered and breathed angrily as his vision began to blur into red. The orange irises of his eyes sparked a faint trail of electricity as his skin glowed a bright white.

 _"You..."_ He muttered under his breath, the exhale itself sparking a small puff of smoke and cinders. The man looked up to him, his hands left at his side yet Izumi could get a good look at the man's appearance. The man had worn a strange mechanism over his face, the black plated metal that was framed by steel piped railing around his neck had resembled the shape of that of a skull. It was certainly a strange if not terrifying choice of fashion, though that wasn't something Izumi would have concerned himself with. What did trigger him however was when the man had grabbed Hisashi's collar, bringing him close to his face before harshly throwing him against the ground with little effort yet it created a small crater form under the man's lifeless body. The action in itself was quite strange, yet if it was meant to provoke the young boy, it certainly worked. Izumi's knuckles went pale as his body tensed from the overwhelming rage he felt.

 _"YOU STAY AWAY FROM HIM!"_ He screamed as his body burst into a torrent of brilliant white flames. Out of the three, the redhead of the group took a step back from the aura of animosity Izumi exuded. His teal blue eyes narrowed towards the boy, his jaw clenched in annoyance. Of the other two, the smaller boy merely looked on curiously, seeming unflinching to the sudden dramatic flair of power. The man was much the same in this regard, though nobody could see it due to the helm that adorned their face. Behind the slick black preface was a devious smile, though they held no fear in regards to the boy in front of them.

 _"Very well, come."_ The man spoke, his voice distorted and mechanical. Izumi's hairs stood on edge as he flinched at the man's taunting. His piercing amber eyes narrowed harshly towards the man, yet all the signs that he could gleam off him told Izumi of a grave threat. Despite his attempts at provoking Izumi, there was a tugging feeling that his confident and cold attitude wasn't just for show. The man himself gave off a feeling of overwhelming power, a power that gave rise to a small bud of fear within the child.

Taking a moment to compose himself, he nervously scanned the area around him. From what he could tell, there was nobody within sight nor could he sense anyone near them. Izumi cursed under his breath at the situation he was put under, his mind freed from any of the suspicious circumstances that played into his newfound power. Besides, the crunching of dirt squashed under that man's heels had brought his attention back to reality. The man walked towards him with a void yet certain air of confidence surrounding him... how dare they.

Did they not feel anything for hurting his father?

... Of course not, they're villains. Villains are soulless creatures that feed on the despair of others, this man was the epitome of that reasoning. The aloof and cold exterior he wore under the unfeeling and dreadful mask spoke volumes of his desire to watch the world burn. They were all the same weren't they? Villains selfishly using whatever means necessary to obtain whatever it is that they desired, or perhaps they seeked the thrill to watch others suffer... they deserved to be punished.

But where were the heroes?

Why isn't anyone coming to try and stop these people from hurting more and more...

Nevermind that...

He had power didn't he? Right now he felt as if he could take on the entire world... so what was one measly pesky villain that stood in his way going to do? A devious and wicked smile grew across Izumi's face as he stared at the man before him. Perhaps he would have to play the hero this time...

Izumi charged forward quickly, his movement enhanced by the energy coursing throughout his veins. Nevermind limitations, nevermind consequences. All he had to do was eliminate his opponent. Yet despite all the power he felt, all that it took to stop him was a single blow to his gut. The man had moved right in front of him in the blink of an eye, his naked fist burrowed deep into Izumi's abdomen, causing the boy to launch into a tree with a painful snap. Izumi groaned as he fell from the wooden stopper that kept him in the dreaded arena, though his vision only grew more and more red. He wouldn't even recognize the flames that would wash over his body, giving him a brief moment of respite to collect himself, pain forgotten as he stood again. The man hummed curiously at the boy's behavior as he adjusted the cuff on his wrist before observing him further.

It angered him to see the man act in such a nonchalant fashion, though this only confirmed that he was right. He was the one who would hurt his father, the one who would be responsible for his death. Right now, it was only him and the man who stood before him. With a low snarl, he lowered himself into a stance as flames sprouted from his body, the heat attacking his skin, nipping away violently against his flesh from the sheer intensity of anger he felt, yet he didn't care. He blasted the torrent of lightning conducted flames towards the man, though the blast had attacked everything in sight without restraint. Waves of heat imploded around him, causing the forest to stir and whine painfully. All that was in his mind at that one moment was that he would be able to finish this with one blow, letting primal instinct take over instead of letting reasoning take the wheel.

Though it appeared that the man had other intentions for his future as he was met with a swift kick to the side of his head from the shadows with little to no effort, snuffing out the flames as he was sent flying to land next to the corpse of his father. The man made a tsk sound as he approached the boy, whose vision was starting to fade into black as his world spun painfully. The two boys who had watched on, shocked, could only take a moment to look around them to find the area heavily scorched and burned. A pillar of smoke had arisen form the embers latched onto the tall trees, blocking out any sight of the night sky. It was more than likely that more people would soon come to arrive on the scene, though they had no knowledge of the man's intentions as well as what he intended to do with the boy along with Hisashi's body.

The man loomed over Izumi's curled form, smoke had risen from the boy's skin yet his wounds would start to heal rapidly. Despite his body's recovery, Izumi himself was still in need of time to recover from the sudden change in tides, though he had a sneaking suspicion that he knew that it never was in his favor anyways. A low whir escaped from the man's mask as he let out a soft breath. The moonlight had melted over the outlines of his mask, revealing the embodiment of death. _"Now this has been an interesting development... you're his son, aren't you?"_ He questioned, yet it was already evident that he knew the answer. He turned around to face the two that stood on standby, the older of the two flinched when the man looked to them while the younger boy merely stared.

 _"But it seems that our business here is done, we have no need to linger here any longer."_ He said with a cold tone, the red haired boy's eyes widened in response and was about to retort but was stopped by the man's hazy breathing. It was a sign that his orders were absolute, he knew everything that would happen... he simply decided that this would be the most interesting path. The well dressed man turned back his gaze towards the amber eyed boy, his pained gaze looking up at him with fear. Yet he couldn't speak from the tremendous force he exerted, he was kept in place.

 _"Take it by the hands of the devil, your life will be spared."_ The man said, turning around and patting off his suit. _"Take this as a means to experience and discover what it means to be the light and the dark... heroes..."_ He paused for a moment before lowering his head to chuckle darkly. He turned his head ever so slightly back towards the boy, the same cold and emotionless mask peered into his soul, burning an image that would stay with him forever. _"Well, they won't be able to save you from me... none of them had come to save the day or even see what had transpired here, or perhaps they did... but they were too scared."_

His head turned back towards the darkness of the forest, the two assailants had walked forward to join him. Though their faces glowed under the lingering embers that swirled around them, Izumi's sole attention was directed towards the man.

 _"Listen well, child. I am the darkness that has plagued the world for countless generations, I am the tide of battle that eliminates all foes, they who tremble at my feet can't hold a candle to the power I hold; Heroes won't act because they are selfish and greedy, they put their own lives above others, they live a life of deceit as they put on a mask to spread a false sense of hope and act in the name of 'Justice', but it only serves their own purposes, their own selfish desires."_ He preached to Izumi who sat there, unable to move, his mind was trapped in a daze as he was forced to take in his poisonous words. His arms had spread out wide in a godly fashion as his head was raised to the stars. The man turned back around, the dreadful image of death returning to haunt him once more.

 _"I will come back... to collect the harvest of my crop."_ He declared with an outstretched hand reaching towards Izumi. His image, as well as the two boy's had slowly begun to melt into a black sludge that whirled around them like a vortex. The two boy's beside him showed signs of discomfort at the mode of teleportation, though they didn't speak any words of complaint as their figures were devoured by the darkness. The man's hand returned back to his side to dust off his shoulders in a nonchalant fashion, though he spared one final glance towards the boy before he too disappeared into the night.

 _"And when that time comes, you will know why your life was spared this day."_ His words echoed in the empty clearing, cinders and ash had surrounded the boy as he was left alone in the midst of the night with his father. the distant cry of sirens had loomed in the air, though it was blocked out by the boy's cries of frustration.

A soft shudder had run down Izumi's body, clasping both of his hands together as they felt cold. Izuku's brows furrowed in worry for his brother as he walked up to him and placed a reassuring hand on his arm, all the while offering a small and kind smile when Izumi would turn to look at him. The amber eyed boy smiled in return as he brought the shorter boy into a warm embrace. Izuku sighed and returned the gesture, knowing at times that even his brother who he would have often seen as his invincible shield had vulnerable moments like these.

It made the freckled boy smile when he would feel the comforting vibration of his brother's chest erupt when he would chuckle to himself, likely already getting over the moment of respite. The older boy pulled back from his younger sibling, his arms still placed firmly on his shoulders as a small smile would appear on his lips. "Thank you." He said quietly enough for just the two of them to hear, accompanied by him ruffling his hair playfully. Izuku chuckled in response to the frequent action that Izumi would do to him, though he knew it was out of love. With a smile, he nodded back silently in response; Izuku merely felt that he needed to repay the favor of all those years of suffering Izuku himself had gone though, Izumi being at his side at every moment possible in those years of torment.

Turning his attention back towards the four steaming mugs that sat on the kitchen counter, he looked towards Izuku with a look that asked for his assistance, of which he nodded in response before moving to grab two of the beverages while Izumi took the other two. The two smiled at each other, relishing the moments of calm and respite from each other's company. They both felt fortunate that they had each other to lean on at times like these, though a simple night spent talking with loved ones would always be spent with smiles.

Time would pass as the two siblings would return to join the two girls and participate in their engaging conversations. Whether it be about their daily lives, random encounters or even the upcoming Yuuei sports festival, the four would chat the night away with steaming beverages in their possession. Certainly, Nejire's bubbly and cheerful nature would always add a nice change in pace to their conversations. Most talks between the family themselves would be relatively short lived due to their relatively reserved natures; though having someone like Nejire around had kept everyone included, even if the topics would change from one to another at random occasions. Of course, there would be times where the four would simply settle on watching a few shows available online when they would exhaust themselves from the constant chatter or find a few channels that they took interest in and settle down quietly to watch whatever displayed across the television.

The night had fully set in since Nejire's surprising though not unwelcome arrival. Glimmering stars had taken their place high up in the depths of the night sky, watching over the quiet streets of Tokyo. The four had settled down on watching a comedic drama that Nejire had found while browsing through the library a streaming program called Netflicks had in store. It was something that the bluenette had started to watch in her own time at her own apartment where she lived, though the three Midoriyas had to admit that it hit a lot of good notes for them.

Izuku had settled on watching the film on a perpendicularly placed sofa to the screen, taking up most of the space as he lay there across the couch's cushions, intrigued by the plot of the drama. Nejire and Izumi had made room for Inko on the couch that sat parallel to the screen, seeing as Inko would likely not find as much comfort as Izuku would laying down in that kind of position, not to mention that having your head turned towards the screen all the time would be quite uncomfortable. While Inko had objected at first, not wanting them to have to move just because of her, the two had insisted that she had earned the "queen's seat of the house" as they would call it, earning a flustered blush from Inko and a small chuckle of amusement from Izuku; though seeing how happy the couple were in each other's embrace as Nejire would look so comfortable sitting across Izumi's lap had caused her inner mother to want to keep them that way.

Nejire sighed happily as she leaned into Izumi's chest, her eyes still glued onto the actors played on the screen. While the story was indeed interesting, Izumi would still much rather watch the bright smile that played across Nejire's face as he chuckled, stroking the long strands of blue hair that flowed from her head. Giggling at the enjoyable feeling, the bluenette draped her slender arm across Izumi's shoulder to relish in the warmth that his body emanated as her eyes drifted upwards to meet his. Her sky blue eyes were softened upon meeting his amber orange ones; as she flashed him a puppy dog look, Izumi inwardly chuckled to himself before leaning in to gently press his lips against her's. A simple and chaste kiss, yet it was one full of love. Inko squealed silently at the sight as Izuku smiled at the two before returning his attention back towards the film.

With a contented sigh, Izumi leaned his head against her's. His cheeks pressed on his forehead and hummed softly. It was a frequent action that the two would often enjoy as they could feel the gentle vibrations from their partners echo through their body. It was hard to keep in her fits of giggles, though the two made sure to keep their interactions quiet as to not disturb the other two occupants of the apartment. Nevertheless, it was always a comfort to sink into the feeling of their warm breaths press against their necks as well as sharing their body heat in the cold night. Though it was only a matter of time before such moments had to come to an end.

A soft buzz accompanied by a gentle melodious tune had rung out from within the apartment. Izumi raised his brow towards Nejire seeing as he could feel the soft vibration echo through her legs. While the drama continued to play, Inko and Izuku had their attention towards the blue haired girl. The bluenette seemed equally confused by the prospect as she quickly apologized before moving her arm to rummage through her jean pockets to pull out her phone, of which was the source of the interruption. With pursed lips, she pressed her thumb against the power button of the device as her eyes widened upon seeing the alarm she had set up earlier in the evening ring out it's reminder.

"Oh wow, it's that late already?" The bluenette mused with her cheek placed against her cheek in surprise. The amber eyed boy next to her leaned over to look at the phone's display and found that it was indeed quite late in the night; though the four of them had hardly noticed since the blinds were closed in favor of privacy, not to mention that the drama they were watching had their rapt attention for the most part. Inko turned her head towards the clock that had hung in view above the hallway's entrance and gasped in surprise.

"Oh my, it seems that we've been at it for quite a while." The jade haired woman remarked with a similar reaction to that of Nejire's. Even Izuku nodded numbly upon following his mother's gaze as his eyes widened in surprise. "Huh, no kidding." He said softly under his breath, sitting up from where he had laid down to pause the show for now. Nejire smiled brightly as she hung one arm over Izumi's neck before holding a thumbs up.

"I guess that show must have been really good then, huh?" She said, adding in a little wink. The three Midoriyas shared a small laugh, though they couldn't say that they disagreed with her. It wasn't often that the the Midoriya family would simply it down and watch a show for the entire night. By the time they had stopped, most of them would have already either turned in or would at least be doing something in their own respective rooms. While it was something that they haven't had the time to do in quite a while, it was certainly a nice change in pace to be able to do something together. Especially with how the two children of Inko would prefer to spend time studying or doing something productive that would in turn help with their studies as a hero.

Nejire gently moved herself off of Izumi's lap to stand on her own, taking a moment to stretch after the long period of sitting still, even letting out a cute yawn after. Still as bouncy as ever as she hopped on the balls of her feet, though as a thought had passed through her mind upon seeing Izumi start to get up as well, she grew a small sly smirk. Not letting her boyfriend have the chance to stand up, she playfully collapsed back onto Izumi who had caught her with an expression of surprise from the sudden action, cushioning her fall. "N-Nejire?!" He exclaimed, panicked by the girl's sudden collapse. While Nejire had pretended to act unconscious, she couldn't help but to release a small fit of giggles upon seeing the serious expression that played on Izumi's face. Knowing that she was just toying with him, he huffed, turning his head away.

"Geez..." He sighed, exasperated; though he couldn't keep a smile from taking over his face for long. As revenge, he grabbed onto her waist and begun to tickle her torso with a sly smirk on his face, causing the girl to scream while laughing uncontrollably, her legs and arms flailing uncontrollably. "Oh gods-, stop! Ahahaha-" She tried to get out between catching her breath as his relentless assault continued, causing her to start trying to push him away playfully. Inko placed a polite hand over her mouth as she also found humor in the two's interaction while Izuku shook his head with a small smile before getting up to stretch his limbs himself.

It had taken a good while for the two to finally settle down as they lay on each other, breathing heavily for the war that they just made. Though despite their wear, the two wore bright smiles on their face. Izuku had taken the liberty of taking everyone's cups and bringing them to the sink for a wash while Inko was contented with just watching the two with an amused smile on her face. Pushing herself off of her boyfriend, Nejire pouted cutely with her arms folded under her chest. "You know I'm weak to tickling, Izumi!" She accused him with faux anger. Izumi chuckled in response before sliding his arms around her waist as he leaned forward to peck her cheeks lightly, causing the girl's act to crumble as she giggled happily.

"I know, but it's cute when you laugh." He complimented with an honest smile while the bluenette playfully pushed him as the two shared a small round of laughs. Taking a moment to stand up once again without deciding to fall backwards like last time, she pulled out her phone to reveal that it was even later than before. Turning back towards Izumi who had stretched his arms upwards in the meantime while suppressing a yawn, she pocketed her phone before smiling apologetically to him.

"I should be heading back..." She said quietly. Izumi blinked but soon came to remember how late it was in the first place as he nodded sadly. He stood up as well to join her, shoving his hands in his pockets as he smiled towards her.

"I'll walk you home. Even if you're a hero, it's never a good idea to go off alone by yourself in the dark." He reasoned, causing Nejire to widen her sky blue eyes slightly in surprise, but nodded, seeing no reason to deny his request. As a small thanks, she held onto his arms as she pecked him on his cheek in return, much in the same way as he did for her. The bluenette giggled lightly, seeing the rosy tint of red flair on his cheeks as well as the uncommon bashfulness his expression showed as he scratched his cheek awkwardly with a small chuckle in embarrassment.

She turned around to face Inko, her face beaming as she bowed gratefully. "Thank you for letting me stay over for a while, Inko chan!" She said, moving forward and bending over to embrace the smaller woman who was still sat on the couch. The jade haired woman chuckled in response before patting her back affectionately with a happy close eyed smile.

"Oh it's not a problem dear. You'll always be welcome here whenever you have the chance to stop by!" She said with a determined nod as they parted, her hands placed on top of Nejire's shoulders. The bluenette smiled and nodded as she stood straight, giving the woman a salute. "Will do." She said playfully with a small wink, causing Inko to giggle in amusement of her quirky nature. Before long, the two would bid their goodbyes for now to Inko and Izuku who had waved them off.

The couple had set off down the hallways in silence, hand in hand. Through every turn and length, they had noticed the still silence that had filled the area, though this wasn't surprising considering the current time they were walking here. Thankfully the lights were still left on to illuminate the path for those who wished to move about in the late of night, though their movements were of course recorded to ensure that no chaos or disturbances ensued in the midst of the night.

Even the two could feel the growing effect of sleepiness start to take over their movements as their eyes would lower ever so slightly. Though this applied more so for Izumi than Nejire due to the use of his quirk, allowing him to keep his senses sharp. Of course, it wasn't healthy to stay awake for extremely long periods of time such as whole days, but he wanted to at least make sure that both of them didn't fall asleep midway.

The noticeable delay in Nejire's footsteps didn't escape Izumi. Looking at her, he could already see the glazed look in her eyes as she wandered on. If not for Izumi's hand interlinked with her's, he might have believed that she would have wandered aimlessly without even realizing it. Of the time that he had come to know her, she was always an energetic and cheery girl with seemingly endless amounts of energy. However, when the time came where her body demanded sleep, she would appear to have that switch turned off.

It was amusing and cute, if not concerning that she would pay little to no attention to her surroundings in this kind of state, or at least she'd do her best to try but find that her concentration would be impaired. It was why she would always follow a well structured sleep schedule. Though once she would have enough rest and recharge, she would return back to her usually bouncy self. Perhaps it wasn't the best idea to prolong her leave; though the responsibility of seeing her make it home fell onto him, and he would make sure that he would see it through, for her.

As she looked up to him, the familiar glazed daze that took over her face came into recognition. He smiled back reassuringly, rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb soothingly. His eyes shined a honest and warm recognition, "We're nearly there, hold on just a little longer, okay?" Izumi said softly. Nejire stared at him for a moment before nodding numbly, trusting him with her company. Nodding back, he continued to guide her along the way to the entrance of the apartment complex. Thankfully, it wasn't too long before they made it outside, meeting the chilly yet calming breeze of the night. The sky had faded into a blanket of midnight black, yet the darkness was accompanied by the illuminated glow of the many stars that hung in the sky. Making an exhale, Izumi could see his breath fog slightly as a sign of Tokyo's temperature. Turning around to look at Nejire, he found her staring up with mild curiosity towards the stars, a small shine of happiness in her eyes. Smiling softly, he gently took off the glove worn on his left hand to reach out and cup Nejire's cheek.

Her skin felt slightly chilly, though it wasn't anything too dangerous. Thankfully the scarf and jacket that she had worn were good equalizers to keep her temperature stable. The blue haired girl turned her head slowly to meet his gaze, though upon noticing his hand placed comfortingly on her cheek, she leaned her head against his touch affectionately, relishing in his warmth. Chuckling to himself, he used his other hand to bring her body closer to his, which was something that Nejire didn't object to as she instantly melted into his embrace. Smiling at her, he slowly removed his hand from his cheek to put back on his glove. By now, Nejire's hands were fastened around Izumi's torso, which was something the could never mind. Taking note of how sleepy she looked, Izumi swiftly yet gently swept her off her feet, carrying her bridal style, which was again, something that Nejire wouldn't have the energy to object or even react surprised to.

Bending down to one knee, careful to keep Nejire comfortable in his hold; he tapped the sides of both his shoes, which had in turn caused them to emit a small buzz. It was a feature that he had come up with to help aid in flying with his quirk. Allowing the shoes to emit a conductive pulse to concentrate the effects of his quirk, granting him a much more accessible and more flexible method of flight than just using metal. Thankfully the support group in Yuuei were more than happy to help make them, even adding in a little add-ons to better the design. Turning his attention back to Nejire, he found the bluenette breathing silently as she rested her head on the crook of his neck. Her breaths coddled against his neck had sent a small shiver down to his spine, though he couldn't say that it was unpleasant. Leaning forward to kiss her forehead tenderly, he could feel her squirm slightly within his embrace, causing him to chuckle lightly.

Through a little amount of concentration, the two began to rise off of the ground to the point where the whole city was in view. Thankfully the winds were less turbulent on this night of this little trip would have been much less pleasant. Leaning his body forward, small crackles of electricity bounced around him, though he was careful not to disturb her. Gliding over the city was always a fun experience, though he did his best to see to it that the two would reach their destination as quickly as possible. It was a quiet trip as they traveled in the skies, the buildings below were lit up with various lights as they entered the city, the trees glistened in the moonlight as the leaves swayed in the light breeze, the traffic of cars below was rowdy as people crossed the roads in masses.

Glazing his eyes calmly over the sights around Tokyo, his amber orbs stopped upon locating a familiar looking building that would soon be confirmed as where Nejire had lived sitting around the heart of the city of Tokyo. Slowing his momentum gradually to a stop, he took a moment to ensure that they were balanced properly before starting to descend to the ground. He turned to look towards Nejire who had been dozing off. "We're going to go down, so hang on to me okay?" He said softly; Nejire's sky dimmed sky blue eyes fluttered softly as she gave a tired nod as well as a small smile, to which he gladly returned.

Having her give the ok, the two started to descend down as they soon landed on the stone pathway that led to the studio apartment complex that Nejire lived in. It was a breathtaking sight, seeing the modern style that the large structure took on. The beautiful arrangement of wood balanced with cream colored stone, several window panes and balconies had lined the outside of the structure on each level, of which the building wasn't lacking in. It seemed quite expensive, though that wasn't too surprising considering that her parents were powerful business owners who would have always spent most of their time overseas.

 _"I've always lived alone, my parents are just away on overseas for the most part. They send over money so I could pay off the rent, though they do visit every few months or so."_ Izumi remembered Nejire saying as he, as well as Togata and Tamaki would visit her place every so often for study dates. He could remember the sadness that rang in her voice, noting that she would miss them dearly. Though she would only smile when our concern showed, explaining that even though her parents may not be always around to watch her, she knew that they loved her.

Izumi smiled, remembering how he had come to witness this firsthand; when they would visit from overseas to meet with him, introducing him as her partner. They were certainly strict but loving of their daughter, not to mention quite protective and overbearing, though Nejire didn't seem to mind, neither did Izumi. It was indeed a good thing that they were able to get on good terms after a good long talk, there were even one occasion where they had visited his own home to celebrate with the Midoriya family on Christmas. It was certainly quite a time.

Though as much as he'd like to reminisce, there was the matter of Nejire who had took top priority. The interiors of the complex were silent but were well lit with a calm golden light. The walls were painted with a beige brown and white, quite similar to the interior of his own apartment. There were various paintings that decorated the halls that had certainly conveyed an established elegance to them, they were quite incredible and definitely a treat for the eyes; he even made some stops to admire the pieces, though it didn't seem like Nejire minded as she appeared to be sound asleep. He could only smile, taking a moment to enjoy her soft and melodious quiet breathing. How the steady rise and fall of her chest pressed against his as their warmth was shared, he could simply just stay there and watch her for hours.

Nevertheless, it was only a matter of time before the two had reached the door to Nejire's apartment. A large wooden door had taken place as an obstacle to the two's path, though it was clear that what lay beyond the barrier was Nejire's apartment as beside the door was a name tag inscribed with "Hado", her family's name. Taking a moment to assess the situation, he moved sideways to the door in an attempt to see if he could push down the handle of the door, which fortunately didn't work. With a little bit of work along with the bluenette now placed piggyback on Izumi, he was able to fish the keys out of Nejire's jacket to open the door. As the two walked in, the lights had automatically switched on, lighting up the entire apartment.

The large room was bathed in a cordial orange light. The space before him had the typical getup of a normal studio apartment; well furnished with a kitchen, a small lounge area which was set up near the window, a large table and finally a staircase to her bedroom that sat just above the entrance of the apartment as a balcony of sorts over the entire single room. Beyond the lounging area of the apartment was a large window of panels that displayed a delightful view of the shining city below, seeing as Nejire's apartment was one of the ones higher up in levels. Bordering it was a artistic mix of solid white and wooden walls, associated with the different attachments to the walls that were filled to the brim with accessories and items that would help shape this home as her's.

Nodding to himself, he made his way towards the staircase. The room was simple to navigate through it being a single entire room, and since he had come to visit this place a great many of times, the staircase was the way to go to complete his objective. Carefully treading the steps to not disturb the sleeping girl on his back, he finally reaching her bedroom, of which sat above the rest of the apartment. It was decorated by a few shelves and decorations, along with a few plants but it was fairly modest.

He walked over to her bed before lifting off the well furnished covers. Proceeding to sit down to place her on the mattress, he gently untangled her arms from his neck before having her lay down properly. She squirmed lightly from the sudden loss of heat as she muttered his name softly. "Izumi..."

Izumi stared at her for a moment, surprised but smiled softly before laying a soft kiss on her forehead which made her smile unconsciously in her slumber. Chuckling to himself, he proceeded to take off the extra layers of clothing that she had worn. Hanging her jacket and folding her scarf; tucking away her gloves and taking off her boots. Once that was all done, he draped the blanket covers over her shoulders wordlessly, tucking in her long blue hair so it won't bother her as she slept. Standing up from her bed, he took a moment to smile at his handiwork before kneeling beside the head of the bed to lean near Nejire's head.

"Good night dear." He whispered softly and gently, moving to caress her cheek lightly, making the blood in her cheeks rise as she melted in his touch. Once again, she turned over to his side as her soft snores breezed along his arm. He smiled happily, seeing the look of calm and peace appear over her face as he nodded to himself. Prying his hand away from Nejire's grasp, from both of their reluctance, he walked back over to the staircase in preparation to leave, though he spared one last glance towards her before they would part.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **Rewriting notes**

 **Well, this chapter took a lot longer than I had originally anticipated, not to mention that it's a lot longer than I had expected.**

 **Since the last time I had written this chapter, I feel as if I hadn't written Nejire's character correctly. She's a lot more confident and outgoing, though it's nice to write about her calm nature as well. She doesn't seem to be too timid and shy, though there are certain lengths that she goes through and doesn't seem to be too surprised or overly reactive to negative emotions often. It was also probably a mistake to think that it would be her first time meeting Inko since they've been together for more than a year. Perhaps I may write an omake about it sometime in the future.**

 **Also, Netflicks was the only thing that I could come up with. I certainly couldn't match the likes of omozan (a BNHA knockoff of amazon) so it'll have to do.**

 **I hope this chapter brings a lot more out of Hisashi's scene than the last one! It was only a few lines back then, though I hope it feels more descriptive. Let me know if you liked it!**

 **(It'll probably be a while before I can write any more Nejire fluff, so I try to savor it while I can.)**

 **Existing notes**

 **I also hope that some segments in this story aren't too rushed as the mass of writing I make are in bursts of time, in one moment I'm thinking up of something which may take a few good hours before I come up with something good and the other, I'll just be storming away, if you guys think that some parts need more development then I'll be happy to oblige, (feel free to PM me if you want!)**

 **If the "You will know which side to choose in the near future, child. I look forward to our co-operation." part confuses you then don't worry, it'll be explained at some point within the next few chapters or so.**

 **One of the reviewers by the name of "Strifestellar Mizo" have mentioned using Nii-san and other phrases, so it will be less confusing I guess.**

 **If you guys don't like it then I can change it back, if you do then I might go back and change previous chapters to include it.**

 **See you guys in a bit.**

 **Ignis.**


	10. Starting Line

**Author's Notes:**

 **I'm really sorry it took a while to post, I've been procrastinating quite a bit, though I will have to mention that the updates will likely take around a week now (as of the previous ones) because I feel like I'm slowing down a bit (though I will endeavour to make it a week or two at most, though if it was two then I'd say it would be a long chapter and also I'm back to school) so I just wanted to give you guys a heads up as of my update schedule I suppose (in which it's probably extremely inconsistent and I suppose I have to apologize for that...)**

 **Now here's the actual start of the Sports festival arc (officially) and to answer the guest user in the review section, don't worry, I plan on making this series a long-running one as I already have plans at least until All for One's fight.**

 **To answer the reviewer LuisAM21:**

 **I suppose I can see where you're getting at, although it's highly unlikely that there won't be an obstacle race as if it were truly random then it really wouldn't help having such different games as a race is one of the best way to pick off numbers and also it would be a major inconvenience of they were to just create an obstacle course without any sort of major preperation considering that it's 4 kms of a race (including the tightrope stage where it's stuck in a deep pit, or the mines which have to be bought and ordered specifically for that purpose or the giant robots.) but to put it simply let's just say that his observation comes from reasoning since it's his third year in Yuuei.**

* * *

 **Yuuei Sports Festival Stadium - Prep Room**

 _"I don't have much time left as the world's symbol of peace, soon I'll have to put that title to rest."_

 _"But you will be the one hero who will take my place."_

 _"Do you still feel the same way since we met?"_

 _"Do you still want to be a hero?"_

 _"The time has come for you to prove it."_

 _"The Yuuei sports festival is something that the pros, no the entire country will be watching very closely."_

 _"I want you to think_ as _this sports festival as your debut."_

 _"I want you to introduce yourself to the world and proudly say."_

 _"I am here!"_

Izuku's hand clenched in front of him as All Might's words rang throughout his mind and being as he sat in the stadium's preparation room.

' _To say I am here, huh?'_

He straightened up granting a better view of the room instead of just the tiled stone floor.

The room was rather spacious, it was well lit and clean as it granted a calming atmosphere.

The view in front of him was pleasant, all of his friends were happily conversing with each other, each pumped up for the festival in their own way. Yet many were visibly nervous after all this was a big opportunity for all of them.

Everyone will be climbing, reaching and clawing their way to the top, to be noticed, to be number one.

Bakugo sulked at the end of a nearby table as he steeled himself for the challenge to come, Kaminari, Sero, Kirishima, and Todoroki were freely chatting amongst themselves at the same table although Todoroki was quiet as usual and only participated when he was required to.

Aoyama, Sato, Kota, Shoji, and Tokoyami were also discussing the trials the tournament would throw at them, at the table next to them.

"I wonder what they have in store for us in the first round?" Sato inquired nervously, he fiddled with his thumbs obviously distressed about the upcoming battle.

Tokoyami merely nodded closing his eyes. "No matter what they prepare we must persevere."

Shoji who stood next to him agreed.

"Right."

Izuku smiled. ' _Tokoyami is right, we must get through this... to fulfill my promise to All might.'_

He could remember the promise and expectation that burned in All Might's sunken blue eyes.

 _'To say to the world that I am here!'_

Others were stretching their bodies and discussed strategies or theories about winning the tournament, all in all, everyone was determined to see it through.

All of class 1-A was present, except for...

"Wait... where's Iida?" Izuku inquired.

as if the very gods had heeded his calling Iida had burst through the door with a loud slam as his face was ever so serious, this gained the attention of everyone inside the room as all chatter was cut off.

"Everyone, get your game faces on we're entering the arena soon!"

Everyone visibly stiffened as the pressure in the room grew.

Izuku took in a deep breath to calm himself before something caught his attention.

"Midoriya." The voice was calm and cool, Izuku turned around to face Todoroki who walked up in front of him rather casually, his footsteps echoed throughout the room, though something about his approach threw him off he decided to play it cool and carefully.

"Hey Todoroki... what's up?" Izuku asked nervously.

The tension in the room grew as the two stood in the center spotlight, everyone cast a look in their direction, unsure of what they were about to witness after all it wasn't like Todoroki to specifically call out someone like that, especially Midoriya.

An uncomfortable silence followed before Todoroki spoke up, his teal and grey eyes dug deep into Izuku's soul as he could suddenly feel an overwhelming wave of pressure.

"From an objective's standpoint, I think it's fairly clear that I'm stronger than you." Everyone's eyes widened at the bold comment as Izuku was shocked at his blunt statement, he was about to counter but nothing came out, he knew that he was right as he sunk his head timidly.

"U-Uh, yeah."

Todoroki huffed before continuing.

"However, you've got All might in your corner helping you out."

Izuku's eyes widened dramatically as he couldn't believe what he was hearing but after piecing things together he calmed down, just a bit.

' _I suppose we are around each other a lot...'_

Todoroki's eyes stared at him, watching his movements and reaction, he didn't miss his body tensing up. "I'm not here to pry into what's going on between you two."

He turned around towards the door nonchalantly before pausing for a brief moment as he turned his head, the dark pits of his stone cold eyes froze him to the ground.

"But know that I will beat you."

Silence filled the room at the sudden as Izuku was at a loss at Todoroki's sudden declaration.

"Huh, what's with all these declarations of war recently." Kaminari mused as he scooted his chair ever so slightly outwards, his arm held by the support of the chair's back to get a better view of the drama in front of him.

Everyone else remained quiet, including Iida who just stood in the frame of the door.

Sensing the growing tension, Kirishima hastily stood up and approached the two in an attempt to diffuse the situation.

"Yeah, what's the big deal, why are you picking a fight all of a sudden, and right before we get started." He laid a hand on Todoroki's right shoulder to which it was immediately pushed away as Todoroki kept his cold glare on the poor green haired boy.

"We're not here to be each other's friends." He stated coldly before turning towards the door.

"Don't forget that this is a team effort."

He took a few steps further as all eyes were locked on him before Izuku spoke up.

"Todoroki..." He stopped but didn't turn around.

"I can't say that I know what's going through your head, or why you need to tell me that you'll beat me..." Izuku stated firmly before his fists clenched slightly.

"And yeah, you are better than me, in fact, you could probably beat me fairly easily considering how dangerous my quirk is..." A shadow was cast over his face as he breathed in.

"Midoriya maybe you're being a little hard on yourself..."

Kirishima looked concerned for his self-depreciating friend as he put a hand on his shoulder only to be greeted with Izuku's appreciative smile and nod.

"No, he's right you guys. All the other courses." He paused before continuing.

"They're coming at us with everything they've got, we're all going to have to fight to stand out or spots will be taken as they pull the rug out from under us."

Todoroki looked at him sideways before he was about to speak up.

"But." The interjection surprised him as Todoroki paused and let him continue.

"I want to be a hero too, I have to prove that I'm worthy of being one, we all do... and that's why..." Todoroki's eyes widened slightly as Izuku brought his head up, his emerald green eyes bearing an undying determination that bore deep into his soul.

"I'll be aiming for the top too."

The words that resonated with Todoroki as it dug up a memory that has long since passed. He stared at him as their gazes met, green to grey and teal, both having a fire ignite within them.

 _"I can only do what I can now but I have to work hard to improve, to reach the top."_

He huffed before nodding.

"You Midoriyas really are the same." He said before making his exit, leaving Izuku confused and stunned as he could only stare at the half cold and half hot boy's back.

* * *

 **Yuuei Sports Festival Stadium**

"Aaaah, We're Here!" Nejire cheered excitedly as Togata and Izumi chuckled lightly beside her while Tamaki had the faintest of grins present on his face.

They had just arrived at the stadium which was filled to the brim with civilians and heroes alike, there were many heroes that patrolled the surrounding area, they even spotted Mt. Lady, Kamui Woods and Death Arms who were apparently assigned to guard the exterior of the stadium to which Nejire had already interviewed thoroughly with the other three having to watch on the sidelines sending apologetic glances to the heroes while attempting to pry the bluenette off of them.

They had entered the stadium as they stood in the main reception area which was still crowded with spectators hoping to grab the best seats in the show, they moved to a quieter waiting are so they could have a chat before they had to move to their tasked locations.

They sat down on a comfortable furniture set, Togata, and Tamaki sat on a single seat respectively, Izumi and Nejire sat on the two-seater in which they happily complied.

They happily chatted about the tournament as well as reminiscing their previous festivals.

"Ah, I'm pretty excited to see what the freshmen are made of, especially your brother Izumi!" Togata remarked to which Izumi gave a happy nod.

"Mhm, I'm curious as to how Izuku will handle the challenges the sports festivals will give him, though I feel fairly confident in his skills." Togata laughed heartily before patting Izumi hard on the back.

"Of course ' _You'_ would be the one to say that!" Izumi could only chuckle before rubbing his head sheepishly.

"I suppose you have a point, but it's still my own opinion." Nejire giggled before placing her hand over Izumi's own, intertwining their fingers.

"But I have to say, from what I've gathered he is quite capable in my opinion, he seems to be a good observer and he's one smart cookie even if he doesn't have a full grasp on his powers yet!" She put a finger to her chin in thought before Tamaki stepped in.

"Is that because you pestered him with your barrage of questions... again?" She took on an expression of embarrassed anger before angrily wagging a finger in his face.

"Hey! Now that's rude Tamaki!" She huffed before retreating to the comfort of the couch folding her arms over her chest while pouting indignantly while Izumi sweatdropped with an awkward smile while attempting to comfort the annoyed girl while the black haired student had an evil smirk on his face like a teasing older brother.

Togata chuckled before smiling brightly before standing up. "Well, I think it's about time we go in, eh?" The three nodded, Tamaki got up first and stood beside Togata.

"We're in charge of patrolling the general outer area of the inside of the stadium... ugh that's a mouthful." Tamaki turned his head as the other three chuckled.

The two boys waved before entering the main stadium facility while Nejire and Izumi still sat on the comfortable sofa.

He sighed before turning his head towards the bluenette who seemed to be enjoying the quiet after the disappearance of the rowdy crowd, he smiled before lightly pecking her lips which made her yelp in surprise, accompanied by a crimson blush brushing over her pale complexion.

"I-Izumi!" She cried, he could only chuckle lightly before placing his arm around her giving her head a small nuzzle as she grumbled with her hands over her face before she quickly returned the favor by swiftly placing her lips on his cheek which made him blush as well as he removed his hand to cover his face like her.

"A-ah N-Nejire..." She burst out laughing, her laughter echoing the relatively vacant halls that only a few heroes were still roaming.

Her laugh really was something... It was like a drug for him, her voice was as soft as an angel as her presence was always welcome, he was so lucky to have her with him.

So, so lucky...

He stood up abruptly as Nejire could tell he was shaking slightly.

"W-W-well, I-I t-think i-i-its t-t-time t-to g-g-go!" He stammered, she laughed even harder which earned a few looks from of the surveilling heroes but they eventually paid them no mind.

"Whew, Haha, wow Izumi, even after a few months of this you're still not used to my teasing?" She exclaimed as he hugged her sides which hurt from all her laughter, he managed a shaky smile before offering her a hand, she looked at it for a moment before meeting Izumi's gaze, his warm amber eyes dug deep into her soul as her body felt warm upon just looking at the orange orbs, she smiled before taking his hand as she was lifted up from the couch.

As he pulled her up, he caught her to prevent her from falling forwards as he embraced Nejire in a light hug to which she giggled and wrapped her slender arms around him in reply.

"Thank you..." he muttered softly into her ear before the blush returned to her cheeks as she shook her head.

"No, thank you..." He smiled before they broke off but kept their hands intertwined.

No words were needed to understand the deep meaning of those simple words but for now, they were simply enjoying being in each other's company.

They walked towards the staircase that led towards the upper floor before they finally reached the right level.

There was a lot of chatter in the crowd as everyone was excited to see the competition and action that the first years in Yuuei would bring to the tables, they could only smile at their enthusiasm before a large monitor that hovered over all the spectators lit up with Present Mic.

"HEY GUYS! YOU KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS!" He exclaimed as he wildly pointed his fingers towards the entire stadium making the entire crowd cheer in excitement.

It's finally about to start...

"MAKE SOME NOISE ALL YOU RABID SPORTS FANS!"

"THIS YEAR WE"RE BRINGING YOU SOME OF THE HOTTEST PERFORMANCES IN SPORTS FESTIVAL HISTORY GUARANTEED!" The crowds cheered even louder if that was even possible, seemingly satisfied Present Mic continued.

"I"VE GOT ONLY ONE QUESTION BEFORE WE GET INTO THE GAMES"

"ARE YOU READY?!" The crowd screamed in agreement and excitement.

"LET ME HEAR YOU SCREAM AS OUR STUDENTS MAKE THEIR WAY ONTO THE BIG STAGE."

The light shone through the end of the tunnel for the class of 1-A.

A multitude of footsteps echoed around the concrete tunnel as the field of green entered their vision.

This was it.

Izuku's fist clenched as his emerald green eyes shone with a bright fire, fuelled by determination.

All Might sat alongside his co-workers and colleagues as he watched expectantly at the entrance of class 1-A, he smiled.

" _You must introduce yourself to the world and proudly say 'I AM HERE!'"_

"All Might, I won't let you down!" Izuku muttered softly as the class finally made their way onto their stage.

"Ah, Izumi, Izumi they're here!" Nejire cheered while constantly tugging his sleeve like a child, class 1-A was the first to make an appearance as the crowd cheered heavily at their display ever since their rise in popularity thanks to the USJ attack, he could only smile brightly upon seeing his brother with an air of confidence around him.

Izuku's eyes widened before he started looking scanning the crowd until he finally rested his sights on his elder brother.

He smiled broadly before waving happily, Iida and Uraraka noticed and soon followed pursuit, Izumi chuckled before waving back with a smile on his face, though turning to Nejire, it appeared that she was too preoccupied with watching all the other characters that appeared on the stage from the other various entrances, muttering to herself questions about their quirks, characteristics and powers alike. He could see the sparkles in her eyes as her being radiated a contagious dose of excitement. Upon seeing this he could only chuckle before slyly placing his hand over hers intertwining their fingers together.

She jumped a bit before blushing slightly as she shyly smiled with her eyes holding his gaze sheepishly.

It was too cute, he couldn't help but lightly chuckle as he leaned over to place a light kiss on her forehead which made her blush much harder before she covered her face before leaning into his chest to which he laughed harder as he wrapped his arms around the girl.

"And I thought _you_ said that I was easy to tease."

"S-shut up!" She playfully punched his shoulder before they shared a good laugh.

Izumi took a few deep breaths to compose himself before their attention was grabbed by Midnight sensei's welcome which was mostly received with the males in the audience fawning over her costume to which Izumi and Nejire had already gotten used to in their two full years of being in Yuuei.

"And now for the student pledge, we have Katsuki Bakugo!" There were many shocked faces within class 1-A though most others seemed to be annoyed at the prospect but kept quiet as he made his way to the stand though there were a few murmurs here and there.

Nejire noticed this as she tugged Izumi's arm again pointing to him. "Oh, is that the Bakugo kid from the entrance exam?" He nodded before turning his head back towards the sandy blond kid, his hands were shoved in his pockets as he walked up the stairs nonchalantly but his posture and figure oozed with a confidence that demanded respect.

"He was the kid who earned the highest points in the entrance exam, he's one tough cookie alright." She nodded before lighting up again.

"Ah yes! Hey Izumi, since they have classes together, are they good friends?" He paused for a moment as memories flooded back to the front of his mind where Izuku was always bullied by the sandy blond haired kid as he was a leading figure who had always used force and skill to gain the respect and fear of his classmates when he was still in junior school.

He was impressive to say the least, he was smart, he had skill, he had talent and he had a strong sense of justice even if it's redefined by his own ideologies.

He knew that Izuku was always bullied but he had always called him a friend rather than an enemy, he had an amazing quirk and he was strong but he lacked remorse for many of his actions. Izumi could never understand how his brother had been so forgiving, he was always kind towards him, offering a helping hand even if the opportunity was rare.

Izumi didn't understand but he had always admired his brother's compassion, enough so to give him another chance.

But he still lacks that quality in him but he seems to have tempered it some but he wouldn't ever forget what happened to his dear little brother.

"I... suppose you could say something like that..." She heard the hesitation in his voice as her face turned into one of concern but she decided to leave it alone, but they both knew that they would have to discuss it sooner or later.

Bakugo stood there as the whole world went silent to hear what he has to say.

"I just want to say..."

"..."

"I'm gonna win." He ended casually.

It took a moment for everyone in the stadium to recover from the sheer shock from his blunt statement before all the other classes started causing an uproar as they appeared to have an argument. Some of their voices were so loud that they could clearly hear them from the spectator seats as Izumi sighed heavily.

"... and yep, that's the Bakugo I know." He couldn't help but chuckle a bit before Nejire smiled herself after seeing him cheer up.

Midnight could only sigh and shake her head in an amused fashion but she quickly recovered. as she raised her microphone as she took center stage.

"Without further ado, let's get started!"

She raised her stick into the air as a colorful blue holographic screen popped up behind her with an aesthetic similar to a casino game as items were scrolled through a single list.

"The first fateful game of the festival!"

The crowd cheered as it spun, erratic music with a culmination of trumpets and electronic based music made the atmosphere tense and suspenseful.

"Oh, what could it be?"

The slot abruptly stopped as the result was clear for all to see as the words pulsed with energy.

The obstacle race.

"Ta-da!" Midnight exclaimed before moving to the side as she started to explain the rules as the students below started to murmur and share possible strategies and theories.

Nejire smiled as she sighed in nostalgia, "I remember when we did our obstacle race!" He nodded in agreement.

"Oh yeah, Togata accidentally used his permeation quirk and accidentally stripped his clothes off on our first sports festival's obstacle race."

She giggled in amusement at the memory. "Yeah, though he didn't seem to be all the fazed, all in all, I mean he took it well even if he did panic slightly..." He nodded before placing his hand on his chin in thought.

"I suppose he's probably gotten used to being seen naked as his quirk is rather... difficult to control without the proper training, of course, it'd definitely still be embarrassing. I'm so glad Sir Nighteye was able to take him under his wing, he's a rather splendid teacher I hear!" She nodded excitedly.

"He was so excited when he was offered to work at his office and now he's like super strong!"

Izumi nodded as he folded his hands over his lap. "All due to hard work, I'm sure."

"Get to your places contestants!" Midnight exclaimed.

The students scrambled over to the entrance gate which was painted bright red, built with an interesting architecture of overlapping squares as the three lights that loomed over them turned a bright green as white could be seen at the end of the long dark tunnel.

 _'I have to be smart about this, I'm still not able to control One for All yet, so I have to be careful when I use it.'_ Izuku thought as he stretched his arms and legs using exercises All Might had recommended to him.

He bent over calmly waiting in a ready position as he observed the other competitors.

Many seemed enthusiastic, some not, many were nervous but that didn't mean he could underestimate them.

The first light dimmed suddenly, leaving only two more orbs lit.

 _'That means... I have to go beyond.'_

The second light dimmed leaving only one orb remaining as the crowd fell silent with anticipation and excitement.

Izuku held his hand out before him before clutching it tightly.

 _'I hope you're watching All Might, Izumi!_

Izumi let out a small exhale of elation before watching his brother with calm yet keen eyes. "Do your best, Izuku." He muttered.

The final light went out as the light died from the emerald orb, Midnight raised her hand up high before yelling with all her might.

"Begin!"

The single word was all that they needed to start out with a full burst and extra spring into their step as all the students began their heated race. The crowd cheered wildly as the students desperately clawed ahead in an attempt to take the lead.

Nejire and Izumi were silent upon seeing the chaos that soon erupted due to the blocked doorway as they sweatdropped.

"Wow... um... wow..." Nejire sputtered as Izumi sighed leaning into his hand.

"Well, I suppose it can only be expected due to the sheer amount of contestants participating..." He sat back up to find a familiar mop of green hair caught in the camera drone's footage, he appeared to be struggling as he was being pushed around by other contestants who attempted to take the lead.

"... I can only hope he'll be able to get through this..." Nejire slapped his back hard making him snap out of his trance.

"Hey, lighten up a bit Izumi, I'm confident Izuku can overcome this obstacle, he's your brother after all." He looked to her in shock as she blushed lightly but still retained a bright smile before he chuckled.

"Heh, I suppose so."

They sat in a comfortable silence as they watched the students attempt to pass the long corridor before voices could be heard behind them.

"Hey, Izumi, Nejire!" They turned their heads around to find Togata and Tamaki walking down the steps to meet them, Togata's arms held two big buckets of popcorn with Tamaki following behind holding a square cupholder full with soft drinks.

"Ah, you're here! I wondered where you were." Izumi commented giving them a serene smile, Togata only nodded before handing Izumi and Nejire one of the popcorn buckets, his trademark goofy grin still present on his face. "We wanted to grab some food before we actually started our 'jobs' after all, the obstacle course will still probably take a while, I mean we can still enjoy ourselves as friends, even if we are supposed to be on guard duty."

Tamaki chuckled before pointing towards the mass of arguing and pushing at the ground level. "I mean, that will probably take a while to pass."

They all shared a laugh

Tamaki took his seat beside Togata before leaning over the side with his cupholder. "Here."

They exchanged thanks as they all dug into their food before happily sipping their drinks.

"This is only the first obstacle to overcome..." A voice rang through, Izumi's eyes widened before a grin ran over his face.

The frost of ice swept through the crowd like flowing water before the air turned dry.

Frost spread through the halls freezing everything in contact, large chunks of ice expanded along the outside of the stadium's wall as many of the competitors were frozen to the ground as Todoroki sprinted out of the cool mist.

Blue waves of crystal ice spread from each of Todoroki's footsteps.

"Apologies."

A rush of commotion and complaints erupted from the other students as they were unable to progress further.

Suddenly a group of bodies emerged from the crowd lifting to the air.

"Hah, Nice try Todoroki!" Yaoyorozu exclaimed.

Bakugo sprang forth swinging his arms to gain more momentum in the air before his palms burst with a chain of explosions.

"You won't get away that easily, you hot and cold bastard!" Bakugo screamed as he rushed forward at incredible speeds.

He nodded with a grin at their innovative use of their quirks, "They're quite a smart bunch, class 1-A."

The others seemed to be able to advance as well albeit at a much slower pace as most of their quirks aren't suited to handle these kinds of situations as they approached carefully in an attempt to not slip and fall, though Nejire burst out laughing seeing Tokoyami just flying by nonchalantly with his quirk Dark Shadow.

"I didn't expect so many people to dodge that... especially those from other classes." Todoroki muttered as he turned his head back towards the front, he still had a great lead from the other students.

"Hmm, that kid seems to have a good grasp on his powerful quirk." Togata managed through a mouthful of popcorn.

Izumi nodded, "That's Todoroki, a student who got in through recommendations so he wasn't required to participate in the general entrance exam."

"So he has ice powers huh, but why does he have half a head of red?" Nejire inquired, Tamaki also nodded but he was too busy stuffing his face with food that Fat Gum had recommended him, though the glint in his eyes told Izumi that he was also curious.

Izumi paused for a second before replying. "He's... the son of Endeavor." His eyes never left the boy as he looked at him with a hint of sadness which didn't go unnoticed by the other three but they stayed silent.

A collective gasp was heard from the crowd as an army of Zero-point robots marched towards the students who reeled back in disbelief and fear but Todoroki was the first to act.

"They obviously went through a lot of trouble to manufacture these machines for the obstacle race..." Todoroki muttered as his right side was positioned near the ground as a trailing bluish-white mist emerged from his palm as his right foot spread a glaze of ice along the dirt track.

"But I had hoped that they had prepared something more difficult."

A sudden burst of cold wind erupted from the ground beneath the boy as a flurry of ice shards emerged from the dirt path as the air around him crystallized in a circular motion creating a devastatingly powerful spear of ice that was brought up by his single palm as it dragged along the ground, materializing into a weapon of mass destruction.

"Especially since my dear old father is watching."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Well I thought I'd end the chapter here because I didn't want to make you guys wait too long (as it already is quite a bit overdue.)**

 **And no, this won't be the last part of the obstacle course but I do plan on shortening it a bit so I don't have to go every grueling detail (so I apologize.) I suppose I'm already a bit burnt out, at least when it comes to the obstacle course but I hope I can still do the fights justice! (which I'm excited about) believe it or not, I was planning to finish this in one go but... well it didn't work out well so here we go (plus that would probably take much much longer.**

 **Also to note, there was a lot of alternating between perspectives in this chapter if you haven't noticed already.**

 **To be honest, I'm not sure if that's exactly a good thing but I didn't want to specify every single time with a little message with something like "Izuku's POV" or something like that. Though this was one thing I never was really too sure about as a writer, though if you have any suggestions or corrections (whether I should alternate between perspectives or try to maintain one at a single point) please let me know by either reviewing or PMing me (really, I don't mind.)**

 **Thanks for reading, please leave any reviews or criticisms you have or if you have anything I need to know (like typos)**

 **See you guys in a bit.**

 **\- Ignis**


	11. A warning

**Yuuei Sports Stadium**

The mass cheered as metal screeched through the speakers, the army of robots rushed forward to confront the students.

"Hmph." Todoroki knelt to the ground launching a giant spear of ice towards an offending zero point robot as the sound alone of ice clashing against metal head-on caused many to reel back and hold their ears in an attempt to block out the devastating noise.

"He froze the robot... wouldn't that give an advantage to the others?" Nejire asked, she turned to find Izumi shaking his head slightly to disprove her observation.

"Keep watching."

As an array of eyes were stuck on the screen, the white mist cleared with Todoroki jogging out into the clearing, the frozen robot tilted forward with a grinding creak.

"He froze them while they were off balance... the kid's not bad..." Tamaki noted as Nejire's eyes widened as her head spun back in time to witness an avalanche of steel and ice, her sky blue eyes gleamed with excitement as her eyes were glued to the giant screen.

Izumi watched silently as chaos ensued on the screen in front of him.

The robots collapsed with fragments of scrap metal and debris dislocating and breaking apart, the pieces fell like a storm of meteorites as many students ran around in a panic to avoid being hit as a crater of dust billowed from each impact.

The crowd went wild as the air swirled with emotion at the display of power.

He looked to his friends who seemed to be on the edge of their seats as they cheered the contestants on, even Tamaki took part albeit timidly as his form was huddled but this showcase of enthusiasm was rare.

Izumi suddenly felt an unfamiliar heavy pressure acting on his chest as he started to breathe heavily as but he kept it down as he held his hand to his chest, his mind felt dizzy as white noise rang in his ear.

' _What... is this...'_

Something wasn't right but... he couldn't place his finger on it.

He couldn't shake the feeling of dread that washed over him though it appeared that no one else has been affected.

' _Is it just me?...'_

 _'...'_

He quickly scanned the stadium but to no avail, the intensity of emotions was too great to discern any sort of suspicious behavior as many stood to cheer as their fists were held in the air with anticipation.

"Izumi, are you okay?"

The question made Izumi flinch as he quickly turned to face the source as his sweat went cold.

Nejire sat there beside him as her face softened, her sky blue eyes were filled with innocence and worry.

Her smile was replaced with a slight frown, her features were filled with so much concern he felt compelled to tell her...

'... but that would be selfish of me... I couldn't do that to her... I don't want to burden her with my worries...'

She tilted her head to the side.

Her blue eyes delved into an endless sky as Izumi was entranced by its spell, it wasn't right to see her so... sad and confused, to be so concerned for him.

... so could you smile for me?

He placed his hand on hers giving it a little squeeze as he nodded gracing her with a small smile. "I'm fine Nejire, don't worry about me."

She didn't seem convinced but she nodded anyway while squeezing his fingers through hers as a small smile adorned on her face.

"You know... we're all here for you."

Izumi could only stare into her eyes before he serenely smiled before nodding.

They sat in a comfortable silence as they continued watching the event, Nejire placed her head on his shoulder while he placed his on top of hers.

At the current moment within the race, most of the competitors have reached the minefield section of the obstacle course.

Many progressed slowly and carefully as they tread dangerous ground.

"Is it really safe to throw mines in their way?" Togata inquired as he placed a finger to his chin.

"AND DON"T WORRY, THESE MINES AREN"T ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS AS WE"D PROBABLY GET SUED IF WE USED ACTUAL MINES, BUT THANKS TO OUR SUPPORT COURSE WE PACKED A LITTLE EXTRA PUNCH INTO THE EXPLOSIVE FORCE OF THESE BABIES!" Present Mic exclaimed while Aizawa could be heard sighing before muttering something incomprehensible in the background.

Even Hatsume could be heard exclaiming "Babies!" in the background noise which made Izumi chuckle at the tech-savvy girl's eccentrics.

"TODOROKI IS IN THE LEAD BUT OH WAIT, BAKUGO IS CATCHING UP!"

"THIS IS ABOUT TO GET INTENSE!"

"You've declared war to the wrong person you bastard!" The sandy blond burst towards Todoroki as a chain of explosions burst from his palms before launching an attack towards the half cold and hot student.

The two landed on foot, both contestants gracefully sidestepped and avoided any mines that were held under them, they attacked each other in a desperate attempt to claim dominance over the other, a chain of explosions and ice met.

Blow for blow.

Togata turned his head towards Izumi.

"Why is that kid attacking him? I mean he has a clear advantage in flying over all the mines easily." He sighed as he slouched slightly, something that they didn't see often.

"I suppose you're right, but that kid Bakugo Katsuki... well let's just call him a bit of a hot head." Togata and Tamaki nodded in understanding.

"That would be a reasonable explanation for his behavior during the pledge."

Nejire seemed to scan the overview screen for a moment placing her finger on her chin.

"I wonder where Izuku is?" She muttered as Izumi's eyes widened before he made his own search.

"There!" Togata pointed towards the start of the minefield where Izuku seemed to be using a robot's arm shield to scrape up something.

"What is he-" Tamaki started before the emerald haired kid jumped on the mass of mines with a matching shield held in front of him, Izumi smirked as he watched his brother with pride.

"He really is a smart cookie."

A massive explosion made only possible by an accumulation of a mass amount of mines. Pink smoke emerged like a small atomic bomb as the impact blew many other students off balance creating more explosions which propelled the green haired boy further into the air as pink smoke trailed off from his mechanical shield.

Todoroki and Bakugo watched the pillar of pink smoke emerge from the back with surprise and annoyance at the same time.

"WHAT WAS WITH THAT EXPLOSION IN THE BACK! THAT WAS WAY MORE POWERFUL THAN IT SHOULD BE!"

"Hmph."

"Tch."

Nejire was barely able to contain her excitement as she shook Izumi repeatedly as her mouth hung open screaming encouragement while Togata stood up to cheer the emerald haired boy on, Tamaki clapped with wide eyes and a smile gracing his face.

"THAT WAS INCREDIBLE!"

"WHATEVER THE CASE, CLASS 1-A IZUKU MIDORIYA IS SUDDENLY MAKING HOT PURSUIT TOWARDS FIRST PLACE!"

' _He used the impact of the explosives to propel himself into the lead, using his shield to prevent any damage to be inflicted on him as well as serving as a directional influence while in the air to lead him towards his target destination... Your brother couldn't be prouder of you, Izuku.'_

"SCRATCH THAT, THE LEAD IS HIS!"

Lashes of air combed through Izuku's hair as he soared past the leading two with incredible speed.

Many could only watch in astonishment as he zoomed past to claim first place.

Bakugo and Todoroki looked at each other, each sending their own death glares before placing their differences aside to race towards Izuku.

Bakugo leaped into the air, his aura emanated bitter anger and rage.

"Deku..." Bakugo muttered, he leaped into the air with grace before a gained sudden propulsion through a chair of explosions used to boost him forward.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING, HUH?!"

Todoroki huffed before landing his right foot creating a glazed path of ice, each step boosted by an angled ledge similar to that of starting a race as well as the factor of sliding past quickly without the risk of setting a mine off, he gained a speed similar to that of Bakgo and Izuku.

' _This ice path will end up helping others... but there's no time to think about that now, I need to take the lead!'_

Present mic slammed his table as he squealed with excitement.

"WHAT AN INCREDIBLE PLOT TWIST, THOSE TWO AREN"T FIGHTING ANYMORE BUT NOW THEY'RE CHASING AFTER MIDORIYA!"

"THAT"S WHAT HAVING A COMMON ENEMY WOULD DO IN A COMPETITION AS HEATED AS THIS BUT..."

He raised his pointed fingers into the air before yelling.

"THIS RACE ISN'T OVER YET!"

Izuku started decelerating in the air, while an enormous pool of landmines were spread out in front of him, he started to go into freefall.

' _Oh no, I'm losing momentum and I'm dropping in altitude fast...'_

Izuku twisted and turned into a semi-flip, not daring to let go of the shield that had gotten him this far he found Todoroki and Bakugo within mere meters of him approaching at a rapid pace, both determined to gain the lead.

' _This is bad, they'll get ahead of me again!'_

Time slowed as their eyes met, Izuku was slowly falling as the other two were now within centimeters of him, their auras blazed with fierce determination, they weren't about to let go of their promises.

 _"I'm gonna win..."_

 _"... but know that I'm going to beat you..."_

 _'Oh, what do I do... I can't fail... not here not now... not after everyone is counting on me, mother... Izumi.'_

Izuku's eyes widened as he triggered a memory, his brother's voice rang throughout his mind.

 _"You've always been smart and observative, be sure to check your surroundings, think ahead and weigh out your options."_

 _"Well, mom and I will both be rooting for you little brother!"_

Izuku's eyes flashed with a bright light within the depths of his emerald orbs as they darted around, carefully observing the rate of speed the Todoroki and Bakugo were approaching at.

They seemed to be reaching the same speed as they were now in line with his shoulders.

He still had the shield within his grasp from a secured rubber wire cord attached to the metal plate.

 _'Considering my available resources...!'_ His eyes widened as the final piece of his plan lay into place.

"Sorry about this." He muttered.

' _I can't mess up the timing, I have a chance here and now the opportunity is hanging in front of me... I just have to reach out and grab it!'_

 _'The only way to stay ahead is to take another leap, but to do that I just have to take them out of the running.'_

He flipped back to land his feet onto the two boy's shoulders, his resolve now confirmed as the source of ground was met giving him a stable footing, he gripped the coil around the plate with all he had as he prepared to pull.

 _'I can show the world who I am!'_

 _'_ _I hope you're watching, All Might, Nii-san!'_

From the crowd, Izumi stood up with tears in his eyes as his fist clenched before screaming with all of his might.

"GO, IZUKU!"

His voice echoed throughout the arena surprising many, especially his friends as it reached the outskirts of the arena as Izuku could hear his voice even if it was faint, those two words were all he needed to give the final push.

' _Thank you... Nii-san.'_

He pushed forward and beyond with all of his might pushing the two boys to the side, their expressions were wide with surprise as he slammed the plate into the ground setting off the multitude of mines that lay underneath them.

A trigger of explosions emerged propelling Izuku further gritting his teeth while launching Bakugo and Todoroki to the sides, momentarily stunned by the force of the explosion.

The crowd went wild as Izuku rolled into a full sprint, halfway from Todoroki and Bakugo from the finish line.

Todoroki and Bakugo suddenly emerged from the pink clouds, their eyes filled with cold rage as they desperately sprinted to catch up with him.

"MIDORIYA HAS PUSHED PAST HIS CLASSMATES IN 1-A, I DON'T BELIEVE IT HE CLEARED THAT MINEFIELD IN AN INSTANT!"

The blond announcer turned towards his bandaged companion, asking the question everybody in that arena had on the front of their minds.

"ERASERHEAD, YOUR STUDENTS ARE AMAZING! WHAT THE HECK HAVE YOU BEEN TEACHING THEM?!"

He huffed before replying to his noisy fellow announcer.

"This has nothing to do with me." He got out muffled through his bandages.

He leaned forward into his mic to get his message across clearly.

"Each of them are powered by their own drive to succeed."

The dark corridor of the stadium wall as illuminated a light at the very end.

Approaching footsteps could be heard, becoming louder each second followed by the faint noise of explosions as well as crystallizing ice forming across the walls, eliciting a shudder from the people sitting near the entrance of the finish line.

"WELL THAT CONFIRMS IT, ERASERHEAD IS A TERRIBLE TEACHER BUT WHO COULD HAVE IMAGINED THAT THE CLIMAX OF THE VERY FIRST RACE WOULD BE A NONSTOP MEGAMIX OF SURPRISES!"

"THE FIRST TO MAKE IT BACK TO THE STADIUM IS..."

Everyone watched the entrance with a burning intensity along with curiosity.

The sound of footsteps stopped as the figure finally reached the opening area.

A familiar mop of green hair emerged from the entrance as the crowd went wild.

"IZUKU MIDORIYA TAKES FIRST PLACE!" Present Mic screamed. The crowd cheered mercilessly as colorful confetti popped out with fountains of sparks erupting around the stadium.

Izumi sat on his seat overwhelmed with joy, his eyes were flowing with tears staining his shirt as he was suddenly tackled from the side by Nejire who had also had tears trailing down her pale complexion, he hugged her tightly in happiness as Togata and Tamaki got up from their seats to congratulate him for his brother's win.

He stood up to the railing as he was able to meet Izuku's gaze as amber orange met emerald green.

All Might let out a sigh in relief as he plopped back onto his seat wiping sweat from his brow before continuing to applaud his apprentice's victory with pride.

' _You've done well Young Midoriya, both of you.'_

He gazed upon the sight of the two brothers happily conversing over the metal railing edge, with Izuku wiping stray fluids from his freckled face with his arm. Many of his classmates came up to him to congratulate him on his victory.

 _"He was never able to make any friends, he was alone when_ _mother and I weren't present, though I can only imagine how much the weight on his shoulders felt when the rest of his family had quirks..."_

He smiled as he watched Izuku get flustered as he was showered with compliments from his friends.

' _Guess I was worried over nothing.'_ He clapped his hands with a cheeky grin on his face. ' _Though you'll have to work on cooling your waterworks...'_

He relaxed into his chair, watching the rest of the competitors make their way out from the entrance.

 _"The sports festival is a competition where everyone aims for the top, even though that means defeating your friends and allies."_

 _"As for pro heroes, popularity plays a huge part in our careers, so they have to want to be the best as well..."_

 _"It's a bloodthirsty world, at your core you want to help others and that's why I chose you, Young Midoriya."_

He turned his sights to fin Bakugo hunched over in a corner. ' _Young Bakugo...'_

His eyes pulsed with a red rage as he clenched his teeth, his knuckles turning white.

"Deku... Dammit no way, not again..."

He turned to punch a nearby wall creating a large crater in the cold concrete,

"DAMMIT!"

Thankfully the walls were strong and secure thanks to Cementoss' handiwork as the cracks didn't reach the spectators above.

Many of class 1-A heard Bakugo's exclamation as they quickly hurried over to calm him down.

Izuku felt guilty for causing great pain to his childhood friend, he knew how much winning meant to him but...

' _I made a promise to All Might, I can't let him down or the people who are counting on me.'_

He moved forward to him but a hand caught his shoulder.

The red-head hardening quirk user Kirishima gave him an apologetic smile before shaking his head sideways.

"Hey Midoriya, I don't think it's a good idea for you to see him right now." He held his thumb up which pointed back to Bakugo who was still yelling furiously as Cementoss went to work on repairing the wall.

I know that he's your friend ...but it's alright after all, he's our friend too." He held a proud thumb to his chest.

"We'll take care of this." His classmates turned to face him and nod in agreement along with a couple of thumbs up confirming that they could handle the situation.

Izuku was speechless before nodding back with a grateful smile, Kirishima chuckled before holding a fist out to him.

Izuku looked at it for a second before bumping it back, a smile gracing both of their faces before Kirishima went to accompany the others to diffuse Bakugo's angry outburst.

A pair of calm amber orange eyes watched Bakugo from the stands.

Izumi clasped his hands together in front of him before chuckling, shaking his head lightly.

' _I suppose it's still too early to ask him to change just like that_...' He looked back up with a warm smile.

' _But it's good to see that there are many people supporting him, just like Izuku.'_

His view switched to Todoroki who was breathing heavily, his breath chilled the air as a light mist formed from his mouth.

He stared at his outstretched hand for a few moments before clutching it tightly, his nails digging into his skin.

He huffed before sending a slight glare towards Izuku's way.

Turning away he walked towards the gathering for the second round before stealing a glance at Izumi.

Todoroki's stare softened before nodding slightly towards the amber-eyed teen who gently smiled in return.

' _It's good to see he's doing well.'_

A calm wind blew as the sun hung high over the stadium, a lone figure garbed in a black cloak crouched on the peak of an outstretched pillar.

A pair crystal blue eyes scanned the crowd before landing on a target.

"Heh..."

A smirk crossed their face before sighing.

"Let's try this again..." They mumbled.

They stood up wearily before covering their right eye making the other pulse with an intense light.

A sudden pain flared throughout Izumi's brain as he clutched strands of his black-green hair, his teeth were gritted as his eyes glowed faintly.

' _W-what... is this?'_

The migraine in his head grew larger and more painful as white noise started to ring in his ears once more.

His knuckles turned white as his hands curled into a tight fist to try and relieve the pain with a counter before his eyes widened.

Lightning surged throughout his mind as it went into overdrive in an endeavor to counter the painful waves, he attempted to scan the crowd again.

The cloaked figure huffed before releasing their hold on their eye, dissipating the glow as well as the pain it caused the green haired student.

"I suppose that counts as a success..." They turned around nonchalantly shoving their hands into their pockets.

"Be wary heroes, your peace rests in our hands..." They said to no-one in particular.

Izumi caught sight of the cloaked figure with a sudden dawn of realization.

 _'Could it be... a villain?'_

He discreetly turned towards his friends to find them watching the next segment with curious gazes.

It was a cavalry battle, something that seemed to be a new event for the sports festival as Midnight went on to explain the rules.

' _What do I do...'_

He looked back up to find the hooded figure slowly walking away as a trickle of sweat rolled down his forehead.

 _'It should be just one, considering my odds... I should at least bring one or two of them with me, it's never a good idea to underestimate a villain, but...'_

He turned back towards Nejire who watched eagerly with an excited smile present on her face making him in turn smile as well.

' _This is for her...'_ He looked back down the field to spot his freckled brother.

 _'And for him...'_

He stood nonchalantly as he dug his hands into his coat pockets making the others look at him with mild confusion.

"I'm going to grab more food. Togata you want to tag along?" He looked at the blond teen with a sharp and grim look.

Seemingly understanding the message he grinned before standing as well. "Sure thing."

Izumi nodded before ruffling Nejire's silky blue hair. "We won't be long."

She mock pouted but then giggled before waving them off, Tamaki nodded as well.

Taking their cue to leave the two walked down the staircase into the foyer.

Nejire looked back with sadness in her eyes as she watched them leave.

Something delved in the back of her mind which tugged painfully at her heartstrings.

 _'He was in pain earlier and he went to investigate... be he didn't bring you along Nejire, he doesn't trust you...'_ A small voice echoed throughout her mind.

' _No, he does trust me... of course, he trusts me!'_ She trembled lightly before holding her hands over her heart.

 _'...Right?'_ Nejire felt a warm hand hold her shoulder as she faced Tamaki as the black strands of his hair fell on his face as he shook his head lightly.

"Don't worry Nejire, you're his world and he's yours, so don't worry about him not trusting you... he cares too much to want to hurt you like that."

The words resounded through her being as Nejire's eyes widened in shock, it was rather unusual for Tamaki to be so direct and to be able to read her so well but at times like this, she was grateful to have friends like him.

He chuckled lightly, "Hey, we've been good friends for a few years now, you're basically like my little sister and it's easy to tell when you're distressed.

She pouted cutely, "Why am I the ' _younger'_ one?"

They both shared a laugh, enjoying their company before continuing to watch as the second round was about to start,

"Be careful, Mirio, Izumi." Tamaki muttered.

"So what's the situation?" Togata asked as Izumi led the two outside before turning back to look at the stadium in its whole.

"I believe there was a villain present here." Togata's eyes widened but motioned for him to continue.

"During some parts of the event, I would feel like I'm suffering a minor migraine but I dismissed it as it went away relatively easily... but."

"Then it got worse?" Izumi stared at Togata for a second with surprise before the blond sighed.

"C'mon Izumi, don't think I didn't notice that you were in pain earlier, I mean we're friends, right? We have to look out for each other." Izumi's lips curled into a slight smile before nodding his thanks.

They turned back to look at the grand stadium once more in all it's glory, but now was not the time for sightseeing.

"It was only one person, or at least I had only spotted one target." He pointed towards the peak of the open dome.

"I spotted them on one of the pillars before they walked away but I still believe that they are in the vicinity." Togata nodded before placing a hand on his chin thoughtfully.

"So we divide and conquer?" Izumi shook his head. "I have reason to believe that their quirk can target the brain, so it's possible that they could eliminate one of us without the other knowing."

Izumi crouched down before placing his palm on the concrete ground before a small wave of orange electricity washed over the landscape, cutting off at soil where it's absorbed into the earth.

He closed his eyes for a moment before standing back up.

"I couldn't detect a presence from the exterior of the stadium as well as it's insides barring the general seating area." He pointed towards the surrounding shade of trees that were spread throughout the area.

"I would presume that they would be hiding somewhere in the forest area..." Izumi paused slightly before placing a hand on his chin in thought.

"What's up?" Togata asked, genuinely curious as to what he's thinking.

"Hm... I don't think that they're actually targeting the event or the students." The cowlick blond tilted his head in confusion.

"What makes you say that?" Izumi returned to a neutral position before deciding to explain.

"Well, first of all from my observation, I don't think many people were targeted as if they were to launch a large-scale attack, it would affect multiple people. It also seems that their objective isn't to cause havoc or ruin as they simply walked away relatively quickly and to boot they seem to be in the forest area, secluded from the mass and crowd."

Togata raised an eyebrow in thought before he seemed to arrive at the same conclusion.

"I see, so what should we do?" Izumi looked slightly conflicted before turning back towards his gaze.

"I'd say we should chase after them, it's our duty to eliminate any possible threats, though I'm not sure how high our chances of success are considering that their quirk is still an unknown factor except for a few hints."

He nodded in agreement before turning. "I suppose we should get started then." Izumi nodded before the two rushed into the shadows of the body of the forest.

"Togata, how fast can you scout the area?" Izumi asked. Togata looked forward to make a few quick calculations before replying.

"I'd say approximately ten seconds at most to clear this entire section." He nodded, granting him permission to which he nodded back.

Togata phased into the floor before being launched into multiple directions, ricocheting off trees as well as leaves to efficiently scan their segment. Thankfully his clothes were specially tailored from his hair, the same as his hero costume, so they permeated with him, though he only had one pair so he always wore it whenever he had a casual outing.

Izumi stood in the middle of a grove, waiting for Togata to finish his scouting mission.

There were many trees that surrounded them, they loomed over him as the ground was dry but still quite green.

' _There isn't much room for a full fight, my lightning won't be effective in an area like this... there's too much of a risk of possibly burning something if I'm not careful.'_

"Seems the best option is close combat... but maybe..." He mumbled.

Leaves rustled as a strong presence appeared in front of him.

"What's our situation?" Izumi asked.

"You appear to be correct that there was only one individual in the area as well as that they're attempting to escape from the area, what should we do?" Togata asked placing his hands on his hips.

"Did they notice you?" Izumi asked, Togata shook his head.

"I do not believe so, I made sure to keep quiet when moving around but if they did notice, they're damn good at hiding it."

Izumi nodded before closing his eyes for a moment.

"We'll prepare an ambush attack, but first it would be wise to observe their true motives." He paused for a moment to think but continued shortly after.

"Assuming that their quirk likely doesn't affect a large area since I have reason to believe it is a targeted attack, we should have one person be the decoy while the other attacks their blind spot, similar to a pincer attack but we need to divert their focus." Togata nodded in agreement before posing a question. "Who will initiate the attack?"

"I will." Togata was about to object but Izumi held a hand in front of him to stop any further argument.

"Don't worry, close combat will be the primary factor in this environment in which your abilities will be invaluable besides, I suppose I'm aware of the pain that their quirk is capable of already so I'll play as a supporting force for you to take them out."

Togata looked conflicted but nodded in agreement, Izumi smiled gratefully before holding his fist up to which Togata sighed before bumping it back with his own fist, motioning for Togata to take the lead he wordlessly led the way as they silently trekked through the grove patch before finding a wandering figure in a slight clearing within the patch of trees.

"Hmm..." the figure mumbled as they shifted around, their cloak swayed in the wind as the leaves above them whistled as they looked up to the blue sky.

"I suppose there's no other thing for it then..." Their voice was rasp and husky, it was hard to identify their gender as they made an effort to hide their real voice.

Izumi and Togata were observing them, concealing themselves using the cover of the trees as they didn't make a sound as their eyes watched with caution before Izumi felt a presence appear behind him.

"Hello." The figure greeted motionlessly, warm amber orange met an icy cold blue.

Time stopped as Izumi watched the eye of his opponent, their gaze was ice cold and dead but Izumi could see a distant forlorn yet reminiscent look in their eyes.

 _'What?...'_

Izumi shook his head before his reflexes kicked in as he spun around fully and blocked the intruder's punch before repositioning his arms to grab theirs, pulling it closer he brought up his elbow with incredible speed, the figure was dazed.

Taking his chance he delivered a swift and nimble roundhouse kick enhanced with an electrical discharge to their stomach towards the direction of his partner.

"Togata!" Izumi exclaimed.

The cowlick blond responded with an affirmative before permeating into the tree, launching him in the direction of the flying figure, capturing them in a lariat before pinning them to the ground with crushing force as mounds of dust billowed from the dirt along with cracks lining the earth underneath them.

The dust cleared as the figure coughed, Izumi and Togata's eyebrows raised at this.

 _'That move should have knocked them out... this can't be good.'_ Izumi thought, Togata seemed to have come to the same conclusion as he carefully lifted himself up from their target quickly before Izumi immobilized them with a temporary but powerful paralysis bind.

"Talk." Izumi stated coldly, the figure hmphed before looking him dead in the eyes.

"I've nothing to say... for now." The two looked at each other in confusion before their attention was brought back to the restrained figure as their body melted, drops of their blackening skin splattered onto the ground.

"What?!"

Their cloak covered their mouths but the levered edge of his mouth indicated that they were smirking.

"You'll see soon enough... but I'll let you have your little _'peace'_ for now, _Iwaizumi..._ " His eyes widened upon hearing the use of his name.

 _'W-what... how, it... can't be...'_

The figure finally merged with the ground underneath them, leaving only a small crater in their absence.

Izumi trembled at he clutched his head, his vision turned blurred as his mind felt dizzy, many questions filled his head but one stood out from the rest.

 _'Is.. it really him? It can't be... right?'_

"Izumi, are you okay?" Togata asked, concerned for the wellbeing of one of his best friends, he placed a supportive hand on Izumi's shoulder.

"No, there are too many different factors... it's just a coincidence they know my name... it has to be..." He muttered softly.

Togata was puzzled as to what shook his friend so badly, "What do you mean?" he asked, snapping Izumi out from his trance he stood upright before taking a deep breath.

"... I-it's nothing... let's head back, we should report this to principal Nezu." He replied avoiding eye contact.

Togata's lips curled into a frown before nodding as the two made their way back to the stadium.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Hey guys, sorry I haven't posted earlier.**

 **I was sick for quite a while and I've had to go through a heavy headache but I'm recovering now!**

 **To note, there will definitely be an explanation for the figure's quirk later on which I'll be excited to explore later on.**

 **Please let me know if I need to correct anything, there is a probability that I've missed it when reading it over (which is likely I guess?) so feel free to PM me, any feedback is appreciated as it will help me become a better writer. (though don't feel inclined to do so)**

 **Thanks for reading.**

 **Ignis**


	12. Doubt

**Yuuei Sports Stadium**

Togata and Izumi walked through the entrance of the sports stadium as glass doors whirred to the side granting them leeway into the expansive reception lobby.

The two third-year students made some small talk before they stopped at a food booth that was located near the entrance to the seating area of the stadium, both were inspecting the selective food items that the booth had in store, luckily the booth was unmanned as it operated by a mechanical system that used an arm to selectively grab the requested food items in which they have to pay for their orders to be carried out, it was similar to a claw game but this time it was actually made to grab the items, though there was one off into the corner funnily enough.

"What should we get them?" Togata asked putting a hand on his chin as his face was practically merged with the glass pane as Izumi chuckled.

"I'm not sure... hey, what do you think Tamaki could transform into if we give him a hot dog... or maybe a potato chip." Togata laughed as the machine tremored lightly due to the cowlick blond's face still being attached to the device making Izumi laugh harder.

"Who knows, maybe he'll turn into a potato head like he always sees others when he has to speak in front of an audience," Togata replied as he unattached his face from the booth as they both shared a laugh, reminiscing a previous memory when Tamaki had to step off stage from their performance in the culture festival due to his supposed nervous tendencies.

"Well, maybe we should get a few sushi sets, Nejire always said that she prefers healthier foods and I quite like them too!" Togata thought about it for a moment before giving an approving nod.

"I think that's a good choice, Tamaki and I enjoy eating seafood as well, though I suppose it's more of a given for him since his quirk revolves around the food he eats after all."

Nodding Izumi put his hand in his jacket pocket, rummaging around for a bit before pulling out his wallet, retrieving a few paper bills he inserted them into the required slot of the booth before pressing the button allocated to the target food set as the button glowed white.

The sound of gears turning as well as whirring could be heard as two mechanical arms emerged from an opening within the enclosed space as it hovered over the food on metal rods navigating in a grid-like fashion.

Finding its target the arms stopped before the supporting metal bars lowered as the claws extended to grab four boxes, after taking a safe hold on the sets, the arms lifted into the air before navigating towards a black cardboard box which was adjusted to their order's needs. Upon having the sushi sets within its possession the box shifts forward on a plate, presenting itself to the two who marveled at the process.

Seemingly satisfied with their order, Izumi carefully lifted the box before handing it over to Togata.

"Here, you should return to the seating area with Nejire and Tamaki, I'll go and report our encounter to Principal Nezu," Izumi said before turning around to walk towards the teacher's entrance.

"Are you sure you don't want me to tag along?" The tall blond teen asked, Izumi turned to the side looking at him with mild surprise, a smile crept across his face before he shook his head lightly, touched by his concern.

"No, it's alright you go on and join the other two, besides... there are some matters I need to discuss with him."

Togata nodded knowingly before they parted ways, their footsteps echoed the relatively quiet lobby.

Walking towards the spectator entrance, Togata could hear an excited mass of cheering and shouting from the end of the staircase. Smiling, the blond teen hurried up the steps to find what the commotion is all about before finding familiar mops of black and blue hair, with a grin on his face he proceeded towards the two.

"Hey guys, what did I miss?" Togata asked as the two turned surprised but their expression eased as they recognized him, he took his seat between the two distributing the sets among them, leaving one left for their absent friend. The two beamed with excitement as they eyed their food before they happily dug in after giving their thanks.

"Well* _munch_ * as you can see * _munch_ * the second event has already * _munch_ * started." He got out through mouthfuls, he seemed to enjoy his food.

"Mhm, also that Todoroki kid and his team are facing off against Izumi's brother, Izuku over there." She pointed to the area enclosed by an ice barrier, spikes of ice protruded from its exterior which was cold and uninviting to the other competitors, literally.

"Well that's an... interesting tactic, but why are they specifically targeting him?" Togata asked.

"Ah, that's because Midoriya alone is worth _ten million_ points," Tamaki mentioned nonchalantly as he swallowed his mouthful.

Togata just stared at them blankly. "...Come again?"

"He said that Izuku's worth **Ten Million** points!" Nejire clarified, giggling at Togata's expression.

The tall blond sighed before opening his box. "Man, I wonder how Izumi will feel about this, no doubt he'd start making an outrage." The other two nodded but giggled at the thought of Izumi initiating the " _over-protective_ brother" mode.

"Where is he anyway?" Nejire asked as he turned to her for a moment, her expression was unreadable as he suddenly felt a heavy pressure which made his lungs hurt, her eyes pierced deep into his being as a drop of sweat rolled down the back of his neck as he carefully considered and weighed his options before replying.

 _'Well, it would be better to tell her the truth... maybe a vagueish answer will do.'_ He thought.

"He's speaking with principal Nezu on some private matters apparently." Nejire paused for a moment staring deeply into his eyes with calm intensity, as he began to feel uncomfortable she simply nodded before returning her attention towards her meal.

 _'I don't know if that's a good thing or bad... anyways, we'll pray for your safety Izumi.'_ Togata and Tamaki thought as they sweatdropped.

Izumi had reached the teacher's seats before spotting a familiar rodent happily sipping a cup of tea.

He smiled before approaching him.

"Principal Nezu." The said principal turned around with a smile still present on his face as he brightened upon seeing the green and black haired student.

"Ah, if it isn't Iwaizumi Midoriya. To what do I owe you the pleasure?" He asked.

"I need to discuss with you about something I found out." He muttered quietly, seeing the green haired student's serious expression he nodded.

Izumi also turned to All Might who sat beside Nezu as he wore a large black suit which was a bit big on his scrawny body, was looking towards them as Izumi smiled, he smiled back with an understanding nod as he stood up.

The three took off towards the higher ground where they relocated to a quieter and enclosed room which was used as a spare room for lodging and refreshments, the room was currently empty as all the staff was present outside.

Nezu motioned for the two to sit as he brought three saucers with teacups on his arms somehow.

"So Midoriya, what is it that you wanted to talk about?" Nezu asked, sipping his steaming cup of tea.

"Yes, I am also curious Young Midoriya," Toshinori added.

Nodding, Izumi began to retell the encounter with the cloaked figure as a few minutes passed as they discussed what they should do after.

"Well, if what you said is true... then we'll continue the festival," Nezu concluded as he placed his cup of tea on his lap in front of him making the other two's eyes widen slightly but they let him continue as the well groomed and dressed rodent stared at his reflection in the clear brown liquid.

"The reason we let the festival happen in the first place is to tell the citizens that everything has settled down... for now, we don't need to spread panic and chaos just because of a minor threat." He looked up to look the two in the eyes.

"Besides, we have quite a capable roster of guardians for our school." Izumi blushed lightly at the compliment but only bowed in thanks beside him Toshinori did the same.

"For now, we'll place more guards in the secluded areas of the outside as well as the roof. I ask that you two stay seated in your usual spots but we should be a bit more careful and cautious as we shouldn't underestimate any threat no matter how minor."

The two stood before bowing lightly, Toshinori turned towards Izumi with a smile present on his face.

"Let's head back, I think you'll be pleased to hear that your brother has made it to the final event." Izumi perked up upon hearing this as his head turned at neck-breaking speeds.

"That's great! Do you know who what the matchups are?"

Toshinori placed a hand on his chin in thought.

"I'm not sure, you came when they were about to decide them, I don't doubt that the first match would be over by now, maybe even the second one if they were quick." Izumi deflated slightly and sighed.

"Well, I guess it can't be helped." He brought himself up with a smile. "Then that just means that we should hurry!"

Toshinori reflected his smile accompanied with a nod as the two turned to leave the building started to shudder slightly, the two's eyes widened in surprise before they hurried off.

"Quickly!" They opened the door to find a giant tower of ice leaning towards 1-A's seating section.

They both sighed in relief as Toshinori waved off Izumi as he went to deal with the supersized icicle.

Jogging over, Izumi walked down the stairs towards the railing.

Izuku noticed his brother approaching as he waved to him, most of the other students were still shocked that Todoroki was capable of creating this much ice.

"Nii-san!" Izumi smiled before walking over to his brother who sat near Nejire, Togata, and Tamaki.

"Hey Izuku, what's all this about?" He asked.

"Well, in the second round just now, Todoroki sent a wave of ice from his palm, freezing Sero his opponent as you can already see." Sighing Izumi placed a hand on his face.

 _'Well, there he goes again, Endeavour must have had a little 'talk' with him to rile him up... usually, he's more composed.'_

"Okay." He turned towards the rest of the class who seemed to be gathering their marbles together.

"You guys move over there for a bit okay?" He motioned towards the back of their seating area which had plenty of room to accommodate all of them for a brief moment.

They all nodded before moving over, Tamaki, Nejire, and Togata walked up to him.

"Do you need any help?" Togata asked but Izumi shook his head.

"No, it's alright I can handle this." He moved over to the railing to find Todoroki unfreezing Sero and Midnight with the help of some other teachers including All Might.

Electricity ran across his body before his outline glowed orange, jumping off the edge lightning gathered under him creating an orange-tinted circular platform, after controlling his balance Izumi descended towards the distraught teen, the dual quirk user noticed his approached and sent a nod his way as a greeting which he gladly returned shortly after.

Landing on the stage he walked over to him as they finally extracted the unconscious tape quirk user.

"Well, what do you propose we do about this, Todoroki?" Izumi asked in hopes of lightening the mood, the latter just stared at it for a moment with no response, he seemed to be deep in thought.

"Did Enji have his little talk again?" He asked, making Todoroki look up at him and nod slightly huffing a breath of cool air, scowling slightly at the use of his father's name.

Izumi patted his shoulder, "I understand, I'll deal with this, we'll talk later okay?" Todoroki nodded before standing back with the teachers.

The teachers seemed to understand Izumi's idea as they nodded, giving him permission.

He levitated back up towards class 1-A's seating area to find the class conversing with his three friends, noticing his return a few came up to him.

"Ah, Iida, Uraraka, Izuku what's up?" Iida stepped forward adjusting his glasses.

"Izumi san, could I ask how you'll deal with this predicament? I believe it would prove to be quite a challenge." He said while erratically moving his hand in quick hand gestures.

"Yeah, I mean it would probably take a while to clean that up, even for the pros!" Uraraka added leaning forward from beside Izuku.

He only smiled at them in response, "Don't worry, I've dealt with this before." They only tilted their heads to the side in confusion, thinking that this was some sort of joke but the seriousness in his eyes told them otherwise.

Izumi shook his head. "Just regroup with the others, I'll deal with this shortly." They hesitantly nodded before returning to the mass of their classmates.

Once they were far enough away, he stepped forwards placing his palm on the ice.

It felt cold on his palm but he didn't mind, it wouldn't take too long to accomplish what he needed to do. He closed his eyes briefly in deep concentration before he opened them again, his irises burned an intense orange as sparks of residue electricity tingled the skin around his eyes as an intense surge of lightning flowed from his forearm quickly expanded throughout the borders of the ice, creating cracks along the entire pillar though it was still intact.

A trail of flames emerged from his palm, delving into the crevices within the ice before the heat compacted within the icicle making the center glow orange before bursting.

The result was a flurry of snow, icicles, and mist were thrown around, Izumi quickly clicked his fingers triggering a reaction as all the particles from the icicle surged with lightning and was drawn in and compacted into a massive sphere of ice, preventing it from reaching the audience nearby, essentially creating an enlarged snowglobe.

Smiling, Izumi brought his hand up, leading the orange ball upwards into the sky before compressing it, as it finally burst the result created a spectacle of harmless light rain and snow particles, their effect similar to that of glitter as a massive rainbow glided over the stadium.

The crowd cheered, as he could hear the children behind him applaud, he bowed as if he had finished a performance as Togata and Tamaki chuckled. "Show-off." They joked.

"Alright, you may all return to your seats." The students nodded before filing into their seats. Satisfied Izumi smiled and breathed a sigh in relief, he turned to find something tugging at his arm, preventing him from moving further.

"Nii-san, where are you going?" He turned his head to find Izuku holding his arm lightly, he smiled before ruffling his hair.

"I'm going to go down to talk with Todoroki for a bit, so I'll be back soon okay?" Izuku frowned slightly which he caught before the freckled student returned to his usual happy demeanor with an understanding nod.

"Oh, also I wanted to tell you that I was able to win the first round!" He exclaimed Izumi's eyes widened as a giant smile crept across his face before enveloping his brother in a giant bear hug.

"That's great Izuku, I'm so proud of you!" The freckled boy chuckled before returning the hug whole-heartedly.

As they let go, Izumi noticed Izuku's bandaged fingers before frowning, Izuku blushed in embarrassment as he rubbed his head sheepishly.

He seemed to be deep in thought before finally coming to a conclusion with a decisive nod.

 _'... I think it would be a good idea for now. After all, I've already made a spectacle of my other quirk.'_

Izumi sighed before giving him a comforting smile before reaching out to hold his hand, placing a finger on it, a soft glow emanated from his contact.

 _'Let's hope that this is the best course of action in the end.'_

Izuku's eyes widened slightly in surprise. After he finished, he let go of his hand before placing his own on his hip, "See if it hurts."

Nodding, Izuku moved and stretched his fingers around which didn't cause him any pain, it seemed to have fully healed.

"Nii-san?" He shook his head before ruffling the younger freckled teen's hair, "I promise to tell you about it later okay?"

He stared at him for a moment before nodding, Izumi smiled before turning around before Izuku stopped him again.

"Ah Nii-san, do you know where to find the teacher's seating area? I need to talk to All Might about something regarding my first match."

"Of course, though do you not want to tell me?" Izuku smiled serenely "I promise to tell you about it later okay?"

Izumi just stared at him before laughing. "Well you got me, anyways you should find it on the right side of the reception lobby then go up then right again, then up... again." Izuku nodded, mentally storing the directions within the depths of his mind. "All right, thanks Nii-san." He patted his head.

"I'll be back shortly after and oh, could you also tell Nejire that I'll be returning soon, I don't want to make her worry." Izuku chuckled before giving him a sly grin pointing towards the currently distracted bluenette, "You know Nii-san, she's been pretty silent as of your absence, I mean she hasn't even asked any questions about our quirks as she had when we first met, I don't think that's a good sign for you _Nii-san~_." He flinched before his forehead started sweating bullets as he tugged on his collar, "W-well,u-uhmI-I'll seeyoulaterokay?Seeya!" He sprinted down the staircase towards the prep rooms, Izuku chuckled before heading back to his seat as the third round was about to start.

Izumi slowed his pace as the sign directing him towards his destination came into view as he sighed in relief.

He walked towards the door, a golden sign hung above the door frame "Class 1-A Prep Room number 1..." He muttered softly, A sudden cheer was heard towards his right as well as Present Mic's voice echoing throughout the hallway.

 _'Looks like the third round has started...'_

He turned back towards the looming door before taking a deep breath. He opened the door.

The room was vacant for the most part, the tables and chairs were organized neatly and the lights were turned on, at one of the tables Todoroki sat alone, his hands clasped and his head hung low as if deep in thought.

He walked over, his footsteps echoed throughout the room though Todoroki made no effort to see who it was.

"...Are you okay Todoroki?"

Izumi took a seat beside him but he still didn't move.

An uncomfortable silence passed between them, he was about to say something before Todoroki beat him to it.

"Midoriya... Do you think... that I can keep my promise?" His voice was barely above a whisper, Izumi looked at him with slight confusion as to why he would ask such a question but of course, he knew what the young dual quirk user meant.

"You're strong Todoroki, I have full faith that you can fulfill that promise... but I have to ask why you're starting to doubt yourself after all this time, Endeavour and I have made several attempts to help you ease your tension with your left half's inheritance, so what happened?" Todoroki didn't respond.

He unclasped his hands to hold his cursed left in front of him.

"During that final moment within the second round, Midoriya... no, Izuku confronted me in an attempt to grab his ten million points bandana back." Izumi nearly fell out of his seat, this was the first time hearing of this not even Izuku had told him what had transpired, he was about to speak up but saw the hesitant and anxious look on Todoroki's face before sighing and letting him continue.

 _'I'll need to talk to Midnight sensei about that later...'_ In the arena, Midnight felt a chill run down her spine as she shivered. ' _Don't tell me I'm sick now...'_

"At that moment, he came at me with a powerful force... Iida, Yaoyorozu, Kaminari, Uraraka, Tokoyami or even that Mei girl from the support course... they didn't feel it, but at that brief moment... I was... overwhelmed." To say that the lightning quirk user was surprised would be an understatement, though Izumi knew that his little brother wouldn't actively try to hurt anyone especially his friends with the power of one for all, he was too kind and careful to slip, that he was sure of.

"Though I suppose he can tell you the whole story himself... he doesn't give himself much credit where it's well due." Todoroki complimented, Izumi chuckled lightly before resting his hands on the cool smooth surface of the table, mirroring Todoroki's position.

"I'm glad to hear you say that, but don't think that you should just stop halfway along the road to stand to the side and doubt yourself, continue walking forward whatever the path may be." He put a hand on Todoroki's shoulder as he finally lifted his head to look at him, his confused eyes only asked for help as he sighed.

"But the battle isn't over yet, you've great potential within you Todoroki, maybe more than me." The statement made his eyes go wide as he was about to refute.

"But!-" Todoroki started but Izumi held his hand up to stop him from finishing as he smiled gently.

"I appreciate the compliment but I think you know that it's true." He settled down but he still seemed to be tense.

"You know." He said leaning back in his chair.

"Even us big four, we gained our title through hard work, blood, sweat, and tears... actually that's probably overexaggerating since it a bit was just given to us as a title from our peers but I believe you know what I mean. Maybe our quirks were weak at the starting line but we learned and grew to be who we were today, we are strong because we became strong, we may have had different pasts and even more different quirks but the potential and the limit that you can reach are determined by the individual." He said lightly poking the center of Todoroki's chest to prove his point.

"But even then we still have limits." He rested his hand ontop his own.

"We become stronger through the bonds we share and our determination is fuelled by the desire to protect what we hold dear including values and morals, that's what I think it means to be a true hero. We grow stronger around strong people but at one point they were just like us, newborn chicks into this cruel split world of heroes and villains, to reach past the black and white to reach out in hope protect everything we hold close to our hearts, to accomplish something meaningful, to be a shield for others, to surpass your limits and go beyond, that's what it means to ' _Plus Ultra'_ , isn't it?" Todoroki was dumbfounded at his speech as they just stared blankly at each other.

Izumi smiled warmly.

"Well at least that's the answer I've come to, I can see that I've given you a lot to think about for the time being though I ask that you save it to ponder over later, for now... you've got a battle to fight." Todoroki nodded in understanding before leaning back into his hands, staring at the simple grey table.

Seemingly satisfied, Izumi stood up from his seat placing it back neatly before taking a few steps towards the door before stopping.

"By the way, don't necessarily assume that one's better than the other. Izuku's still a hatchling for now and I suppose that you have the edge in control of your quirk but he grows at an incredibly fast rate due to his bright nature as well as the fact that he's supported by many different people around him and that gives him strength to boot. Remember that our worth is decided ourselves and we are supported by the people around us, I think you'd do well to learn a thing or two from him as he does from you." Todoroki's eyes widened slightly before turning towards him.

"He-" Izumi nodded before smiling brightly.

"He does so for everybody." Todoroki went silent for a moment.

"... even if it means that I should accept help from _him?_ " He asked as the emphasis on the one word held a bottleful of venom.

Izumi placed a hand to his chin in thought before sighing, he knew who he was referring to. "That's entirely up to you." Izumi walked further towards the door, planting his hands on the metallic handle.

"But don't worry, remember that you have people like me to help you once you reach that cross-road."

He made an exit from the room, leaving Todoroki speechless before he chuckled lightly.

"Heh, you Midoriyas really are the same..." He looked back towards the lone door, the world around him was silent.

"... Thank you."

Outside Izumi sighed lightly in relief before combing through his green hair with his hands, a smile on his face.

"I think that went fairly well... though I may have gone overboard with the speech though." He turned his head back towards the door before smiling.

"But I hope it has helped him." He mumbled before walking back towards the spectator area of the stadium"

"Midoriya I'm surprised to see you here!" A voice spoke behind him.

He turned to find himself facing Iida, though he seemed to have some contraptions strapped onto him.

"Iida, it's good to see you, sorry I couldn't watch your match, I needed to talk to Todoroki about some ... parenting issues." He nodded before placing a hand on his chin, "No, it's alright, I suspected something was off with him earlier." His arms returned to his side before smiling gratefully. "I suppose I should thank you for helping him out, after all, he wouldn't have a fair chance at fighting if he was distracted."

Izumi nodded "Well said... ah, I forgot to ask you why you're wearing all that equipment, wouldn't it affect your performance?" He asked. Iida gave a heavy sigh before readjusting his glasses.

"Yes, Hatsume san made me wear all this equipment to advertise her support items, she made me exhibit all her items for the 10-minute duration of the round. In the end, she surrendered by walking out of bounds but it was frustrating, being used for her own purposes." Izumi smiled apologetically before placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, I probably should have warned you of this, Hatsume san doesn't hold other people's feelings in high regard, all except satisfaction with her products that is."

"It is quite alright Midoriya, I suppose I'll need to return these to Hatsume san, though I'll probably have a few words with her." Izumi chuckled before turning partway.

"Well I'll see you to it, good luck on getting through the next round Iida, you'd do your brother proud." Iida blushed in embarrassment before bowing deeply. "Thank you, it means a lot that you think so."

He only smiled back, "Of course."

The two parted ways soon after, Izumi proceeded to head back towards the arena before something caught his eye.

"Hmm, now what do we have here?" He muttered.

It was the start of the fifth round where Mina and Aoyama were about to face off as the cornerstone bonfires lit in a torrent of flames, the crowd's deafening cheers continued once more as Present Mic's voice resonated amongst the masses as the two competitors drew forward.

Izuku walked out from the hallway, All Might's word's ringing through the depth of his mind.

 _"That vision is a clear indication that you've gained a better grasp on the power of One for All, I can't say that I know for certain as to how it works but the main idea revolves around a trace of something they all left behind in One for All, though it does not have any intent or any power to interfere with your actions nor can you interfere with it."_

 _"To put it simply, it was not the vision that stopped Shinso's brainwashing quirk but instead it helped clear your mind of your doubt which allows your strong emotions to overcome it."_

He held his fist up lightly _'A better grasp on One for All, huh?'_ He sighed.

 _'I still have a long way to go before I can use it safely, and even worse, I have to face Todoroki in the next round...'_

His attention was drawn by A familiar mop of brown hair emerging from his classmates, "I-I suppose, I'll g-get ready now..." Uraraka muttered to herself before turning to leave, Izuku watched in slight confusion and worry.

 _'We've still got Tokoyami and Yaoyorozu's match after this... Is this about her match against Kaachan?'_

She visibly trembled as she slightly tripped upon making her way to the exit, few noticed but said nothing, they didn't know what to say to the poor girl.

Izuku found himself following the same course of action as she made her way towards him.

 _'What do I do, she's approaching... she looks afraid.'_

He finally mustered enough courage to speak as she stood in front of him.

"Uraraka?..." He spoke softly.

They stood face to face as chocolate brown met a brilliant emerald, Uraraka's eyes widened slightly before she averted her gaze.

"Deku..."

She took a deep breath before standing straight, making their eye levels balanced as she plastered on a crooked smile.

"It's okay, I... just need to get ready..." He frowned as the obviously weak attempt at a fake smile, she quickly noticed this as she quickly moved past him, her footsteps echoed in the dark hallway behind him as he just stood there with his hand outstretched towards the faint remnants of her presence.

Izuku felt a hand placed on his shoulder, he turned his head to find Nejire staring at him.

"You know" She started, her voice barely above a whisper. "I think you should go talk to her, she seemed deeply troubled... you're her friend after all, right?"

He reeled back slightly and blushed in embarrassment before rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "U-uh, um yes! Of course, Sure!" Nejire giggled as Izuku pointed his index fingers together.

"But... I'm not sure what I could say, I was never one to have a way with words... especially with girls as much as I'm embarrassed to admit, I just don't know what I could do to help her." He mumbled. Nejire shook her head.

"She's your friend Izuku, that's all that matters. At times like these, she needs help from her friends the most." He looked back up to her to meet her firm gaze, before finally nodding with newfound determination and confidence even if his smile was a bit shaky.

 _'She's right, it's not about me it's about helping a friend in need.'_

Nejire giggled as she swore she could see the air that he huffed from his nose as his eyes shone with a newfound spark of determination.

"Thank you, I believe I know what to do now." She smiled before playfully slapping on the shoulder.

"Go get em, tiger!" She teased, Izuku's face flushed a bright shade of red in embarrassment as the other two joined them, Togata let out a hearty laugh at Izuku's expression and Tamaki just facepalmed and sighed before shaking his head.

"You should just ignore her, good luck." He stared at him for a moment before standing straight, sending a nod his way with a smile.

He returned the gesture before Izuku slammed his fist into his open palm before turning around to run after Uraraka.

Tamaki chuckled, "That scene is quite familiar wasn't it?" The other two smiled before nodding.

"Mhm, I suppose it is," Nejire whispered.

Quiet footsteps were heard behind them as a familiar mop of black and green hair entered their field of view.

"Hey guys, what did I miss?" They all smiled.

"Ah, Izumi you're back! Oh yeah, hey Izumi come over here!" Togata exclaimed before he walked back over to his seat, the others following suit. He picked up a familiar black box pulling out a set and handing it to him "Here."

The greenette chuckled before taking his seat beside Nejire, happily accepting the box he opened it. "Thank you, I can't wait to dig in... um." He turned his head to the side to find Nejire staring at the food, her mouth drooled a bit.

"... Nejire... don't tell me you're still hungry..." He asked slightly baffled considering the amount of food that was stored within the contents of the box, she snapped out of her trance before a bright red blush spread across her pale complexion as she timidly nodded in embarrassment.

"Sorry... I haven't had much for breakfast this morning so I'm still a bit hungry..."

Izumi chuckled before picking up his wooden chopsticks and snapping them in half "Now we can't have you starving to death on us, can't we dear?" He carefully picked up a small roll of salmon as he brought it up to her face "Here."

She was surprised, to say the least as her blush grew more intense as she timidly bit into the roll.

Chewing lightly, she hummed her review of satisfaction, she pecked him on the cheek with a small kiss before resting her head on his chest in contentment.

He chuckled before turning around to find the entirety of class 1-A staring at the scene before them, silence ensued, barring Mineta's incoherent gibberish.

"... um, sorry did we make you guys uncomfortable?"

Most seemed to snap out of their trance before there was a mix of nods and shaking of heads.

"Nonono, please continue, you guys are sooooooooo cute!" Mina and Hagakure squealed, many others laughed making both Nejire and Izumi blush to extremes not known by man, Izumi nearly dropped his set as well as the roll of sushi and Nejire nearly choked, Tamaki and Togata laughed hard as they could see a faint reflection glistening from the edge of Tamaki's eyes.

 _'Huh, Seriously?! Tamaki is crying?!.'_ The two thought exasperated with their mouths agape.

 **Author's Notes:**

 **So here we are, thanks for reading! I hope the wait wasn't too long.**

 **So we'll probably start with an IzuOcha development scene in the next chapter so I hope you look forward to that (as well as the Uraraka and Katsuki fight most likely)**

 **(also brownie points for any of you who know what series Izumi's speech was based off, though technically it was two series but oh well.)**

 **Please leave a review as well as any criticisms as to anything I should fix or if a section feels rushed, also please tell me if a character feels one noted or underdeveloped (apart from the not as important characters in this particular story, as it's possible that I've already done so but I'm usually not aware of these kinds of things)**

 **Thanks for reading.**

 **Ignis.**


	13. Uraraka vs Bakugo

**Stadium Prep Room Hallway**

Unsteady and heavy footsteps echoed throughout the dimly lit corridor as Uraraka walked through the seemingly endless hallway of blue.

What was she doing?

What was she trying to get away from?

Bakugo?

... no that wasn't it, sure he was an extremely tough opponent that she had little chance of beating.

She stopped as she finally made to the front of the second waiting room as the dark shaded blue door loomed over her hauntingly.

She held a clutched hand over her chest before breathing a shaky sigh as her expression fell.

No, it was because that he was such a tall obstacle that she had practically no chance to advance into the next round.

She had made it so far only to fall at the last step, she had worked hard to prove to the world that she could be a hero that both her mother and father could be proud of, she was glad to know that she had good friends that had her back and supported her but she couldn't shake the dreams of haunting stares from familiar faces holding the overwhelming feeling of failure and disappointment.

It was something that she didn't want to experience, despite knowing that her parents wouldn't do such a thing she could only wonder what would happen if they saw her as a failure, and it scared her.

She slapped her cheeks with both of her palms in an attempt to snap her out of her somber mood, her normally rosy cheeks turned into a crimson red but she ignored the stinging pain and sure enough, it did the trick.

No, she can't be like this, now wasn't the time.

She took a deep breath to calm herself before shaking her head vigorously.

Now was the time to prepare and plan, she needed to find a way around Bakugo's extremely fast reflexes and natural talent in the field of combat.

...

She was at a loss, she didn't know what to do.

She slapped the side of her head repeatedly.

 _'THINK Ochaco, think... what would Deku do?'_ She suddenly paused her relentless beating before standing silently, frozen in place.

Her face suddenly flushed with an intense shade of red as she realized what had occurred.

 _'D-did I r-really?...'_ She sighed, before looking towards the ground.

In these short months, Uraraka had already seen Izuku Midoriya as one of her best friends, he was kind and smart and ... cute to say the least as her blush increased.

She had admired his sense of justice as well as his ability to persevere and work hard towards his goals unlike her, who was stuck in place unable to do anything but watch as he and her other friends move forward.

Her clenched fists trembled as she remembered Iida's speech during the selection of partners of the cavalry battle.

 _"But I'm afraid I have to decline your offer Midoriya..."_ The gleam from his glasses grew as he readjusted them with his index finger.

Izuku and Uraraka's face fell with disappointment as well as a minor hint of betrayal as they started asking why.

He sighed before bowing his head in an apologetic manner, "Since the start of our journey I've been losing to you and I could only watch as the view of your back only grew more distant, but please don't take this the wrong way and don't get me wrong, you've been a wonderful friend Izuku and I've thoroughly enjoyed our time together. You've truly earned my respect and trust in that regard but..." He looked up to firmly meet their gazes, Izuku and Uraraka could see the new fire that burned within the depths of his eye.

"If I keep following behind you, I'll never get the chance to grow stronger as a hero." Those words sent a shiver down Uraraka's spine as she could only stand in silence before looking down to the floor, those words hit close to home but she found herself unable to do anything as Iida continued.

"Bakugo and Todoroki have already challenged you but they aren't the only ones who see you as a rival." He turned before slowly progressed towards his team that consisted of a fierce combo of Todoroki, Yaoyorozu, and Kaminari who stood by to watch the ordeal with calm expressions on their faces, the team truly posed as a serious threat as their presence was unnerving.

"Midoriya, it's now my turn to say that I will also do my best to defeat you." The two could only watch in shock but deep down they understood his drive.

Uraraka's hand shook and trembled slightly as she bit her lips, a heavy pressure was placed on her shoulders as she was suddenly alone in the spotlight, though no-one was watching.

Her fists clenched as she finished recalling that unpleasant memory but it served as a good reminder for what she needed to do as she gave a determined nod, breathing deeply before placing her hand on the door's cold handle as she prepared to push.

"Uraraka!' The appearance of a new presence froze the brunette in place, the voice was strained slightly but it held a surprising amount of urgency and concern.

It also belonged to someone she knew well.

She turned her head ever so slightly to see a familiar bush of ruffled green hair approaching her, she found herself rooted to the ground as her grip on the cold metal softened before releasing it entirely.

"D-Deku?" She spoke quietly as her body started trembling slightly.

He finally managed to reach her before pausing for a brief moment, his emerald green spoke his concern as he frowned slightly.

"Uraraka... are you okay?" His usual shy mannerisms seemed to dissipate as the wellbeing of one of his best friends was the only thing in his mind at the current moment.

She gave him a shaky sigh before shaking her head, indicating that she wasn't.

"I'm... I-I don't know what to do..." She murmured making Izuku's frown grow, his eyebrows furrowed in apprehension.

"... Is this about your next fight with Kacchan?" He muttered softly, she visibly flinched as her eyes grew wide before they averted from his gaze.

She felt a bead of sweat trickle down her forehead as she looked down at the ground. "Am I _that_ easy to read?" She murmured, he softly smiled before shaking his head lightly.

"No, it's just that I'm able to tell when one of my best friends are feeling distressed, although our encounter earlier was quite a big giveaway that something was off." She laughed nervously before suddenly finding the blue wall beside her quite interesting, his smile once again reverted into a frown before taking a step closer.

They stood in silence before the crowd outside cheered, luckily most of it was weakened by the thick concrete walls, excluding the gaping entrance that stood a good twenty meters from them, the noise still gave them a shock.

Uraraka tensed considerably as the fact that her match was drawing near set in, she trembled before looking towards the entrance before alternating towards the door beside them, she turned to him with pleading eyes.

"U-um, d-do you m-mind taking this ... somewhere e-else." He nodded in understanding as he saw a small figure approaching in the distance, their features were cloaked by the intense light, contrasting the dark hallway.

She nodded before leading the two of them into the mostly empty room.

Shutting the door behind them, the two stood in an awkward silence though the two seemed too shy to start as Izuku was starting to panic.

He was alone... in a room... with a girl... even if it was one of his best friends, that didn't mean that he had any expertise in that field... especially when it came to... girls.

He sighed internally before his face morphed into one of stern determination before changing into a brighter one as an idea sparked within the depths of his mind.

He rummaged around his pockets before he found what he was looking for, Uraraka looked up from the ground to see why Izuku was fumbling about as he held out one of his more recently updated notebooks outwards to her as a streak of crimson crossed his face.

"I-I t-thought t-that, *Gulp* y-you'd w-want to... u-um, s-sorry." He closed his eyes before taking a deep breath as his shoulders and arms visibly relaxed before his usual serene smile reappeared on his freckled face making Uraraka's heart flutter for some reason.

"L-let me s-start that again. I t-thought that you'd n-need some help again'st K-Kaachan, s-since well y-y'know. W-well, I thought t-that my notes c-could help you in y-your match against h-him." Dang, he still wasn't able to keep his stuttering at bay, he still had a long way to go but he was glad that he was improving.

She could only look at him blankly for a few moments as Izuku started feeling uneasy, he started to question his decision in offering his help.

"U-um... Uraraka?" He mumbled quietly in hopes of gaining her attention, and luckily for him, it did.

She yelped quietly before her cheeks adopted a deep red as she clasped a hand over her mouth.

"A-ah, sorry for spacing out Deku... and thank you for the offer but, after some thinking..." She paused before recollecting her thoughts, "I'm afraid that I'm going to have to refuse." His expression suddenly looked dejected and sad, it pained her to see him this way as well as the fact that she probably could have rephrased it better.

"O-oh... well, I'm sorry I wasted your time..." His voice was barely above a whisper but she could tell that it was strained and painful, she panicked before her body suddenly moved forward to embrace him tightly making the green haired boy squeak in surprise. "U-Uraraka?!"

 _'Whoops, I was just supposed to grab his wrist.'_ She sweatdropped.

She looked up into his emerald green eyes before averting her gaze shyly. "S-sorry, I-I didn't mean to m-make fun of y-you, I-I could have probably said that better."

She let go of him, although it appeared that he had just processed what had happened as a heavy blush grew on his cheeks though he let her continue as he stood patiently.

A small smile graced her lips in thanks before she started fumbling with her fingers.

"I... it's not that I think that your notes aren't worth any value Deku, I-I'm really happy t-that you tried to h-help me but..." She stopped for a moment to take in a deep breath before looking him dead in the eye.

 _'I want to be able to prove who I am'_

 _'I want to be able to make my parents proud.'_

 _'I want to move forward and catch up with the rest of our friends, and you Deku.'_

 _'I want to be able to come out on top.'_

"I want to be able to win on my own terms." She spoke firmly.

Izuku stood there for a moment as an awkward silence fell between them, Uraraka started getting nervous as she fidgeted with her fingers. _'Oh no, did I say something wrong?'_ She moved forward a bit towards him in an effort to apologize until she heard a faint noise which seemed to originate from Izuku's lips, he seemed to be mumbling something quietly as well as his murmurs being spoken in a rushed pace which Uraraka couldn't keep up with. If anything, his mouth movements were so minuscule that he could be easily be mistaken for daydreaming which wouldn't have been taken kindly by Iida's standards, she could imagine it now, Iida scolding Izuku gently as the green haired boy would get immediately flustered and apologize repeatedly, at times like these it reminded her of how special her friends were to her. She tried to keep it in until she burst out into a giggling fit making the said boy snap out of his trance before his cheeks flushed red.

"O-oh no, d-did I really j-just space o-out?" He murmured, Uraraka simply giggled but nodded to affirm his question making him blush further.

"Don't worry Deku, I think it's cute." This made Izuku blush harder as Uraraka blushed as well.

Times like these that truly made Uraraka forget about all of her troubles, she greatly enjoyed those precious moments where she could truly smile.

They were suddenly interrupted by a blare from the room's speakers, making the two flinch slightly. "Class 1-A students Bakugo Katsuki, Uraraka Ochaco, please prepare to start your match, we await you in the arena." A ring signified the end of the message.

Uraraka took in a deep breath as Izuku patted her back lightly, she looked up at him and her expression communicated her thanks before he smiled back.

She pumped her fist in the air before advancing towards the door, as she was about to open it she turned to face him. He seemed confused at first until she sent him a thumbs up with a determined grin on her face.

"Let's meet in the finals, Deku." The strength and confidence in her voice inspired a flame to ignite within him as well, he nodded back.

"Good luck Uraraka, I'll be rooting for you." She smiled before opening the gateway to confront what would be the toughest challenge she would have to face by far.

* * *

 **Spectator's Area**

The crowd cheered heavily as Present Mic announced the start of the final match for the first preliminary round.

Class 1-A seemed to shout louder when the rosy-cheeked Uraraka emerged from the blue bordered entrance, Bakugo had also approached his side as both had planted their feet on the grey concrete, each step up was heavy with intensity as Uraraka was finally met face to face with her sandy-haired opponent as the corner pyres of the arena grew into a torrent of flames.

Izumi was quite excited to see this match, he knew that Uraraka was one of Izuku's best friends and considering that she has a matchup with Bakugo who was known as a strong, smart and fast individual that could most likely rival many pro heroes but he held a fortune of potential.

Izumi looked around curiously to find Izuku missing, though he figured that he likely wanted to help his friend in any way he could, it was just like him to help others and it made Izumi smile. Though just to alleviate any doubts he turned towards his girlfriend, noticing his sudden movement, Nejire turned her head to the right to find herself staring into Izumi's orange eyes, she smiled making him smile as well.

"Dear, do you know where Izuku is?" He asked which made Nejire perk up... for reasons he didn't know as she giggled.

"Your brother went to talk with Uraraka down there, I imagine that he'd want to cheer her up as she looked pretty down earlier." That was good to hear, although she was still having a small giggling fit as he smiled albeit with a questioning look on his face before deciding to kiss her cheek softly.

"Thank you, but could I ask what you find so funny? I don't have any rice on my face do I?" He asked making her giggle harder.

"No silly~ it's just that when I told Izuku to go talk to her, he had this bright fire in his eyes which reminded me of some romance anime that I've watched." She held both of her palms on the side of her face while squirming in her seat. "I mean they look so cute together!" She protested. He didn't disagree, he often found Izuku brightening up when the pink-cheeked student was brought up in a conversation, although Izuku heavily blushing was usually one of the more common results of those conversations, and no for you dear readers, I do not mean anything inappropriate as I wouldn't want to do that to my beloved little brother.

Many of the other students that sat with them overheard their conversation and laughed in agreement although most of it was banter and joking, Izumi himself smiled, it was good to see that the students were at ease with their presence and had an easy time talking to the four of them as well as each other. He chuckled before turning back towards her.

"Heh, sure but I don't think it's a good idea to tease the two about it. After all, we don't know how they feel about each other, whether they just want to be good friends." She sighed before leaning her head on his shoulder, "Hmm, I suppose so."

Hurried footsteps were heard behind them as everyone within the vicinity turned their heads to find a certain broccoli haired boy run up from the entrance.

"Ah, Izuku you're here!" Iida exclaimed before motioning Izuku to join him. "Come, the match is about to start." He smiled before taking his seat beside Iida and Izumi.

"It's good to have you back, Brother." The green haired boy nodded and smiled brightly before his sights were set on the scene before him as Uraraka and Bakugo stood on the opposite ends of the grey arena.

The introductions finished as they finally proceeded to begin the match.

"BEGIN!"

Grunting, the brunette teen burst forward with incredible speed, likely using her quirk to lighten the weight of her clothes.

Her eyes darted around her surroundings, Bakugo seemed to be on guard as he held a defensive stance with his dominant hand out front and his other held close by to cover a side attack, his red eyes were focusing intently at his opponent as he took steady breaths to steel himself for the rapidly approaching encounter.

Taking note of his stance, Uraraka dug up all of her notes in her mind before her eyes widened slightly.

 _'That stance... that was the one that Bakugo used against Deku.'_

This was her chance, she had a good chance of predicting the explosion quirk user's initiating attack.

A large right hook.

A glimmer of hope was right in front of her, it was there for her to take it. Her dash gained speed as her core was adjusted closer to the ground, she was closing in on him fast.

She just had to touch him once and activate her quirk to send him out of bounds as that was her best bet at winning.

Uraraka was within ten feet of him before his posture shifted, indicating that he was about to attack.

Bakugo reeled his right arm back, confirming that she was right to assume that he would initiate with a blow to her left, her choices were limited as he would likely attack with a wave of explosions which would bar out jumping over or ducking under, meaning.

She prepared to duck to her right before his palm swept across the concrete floor, the sheer speed of the attack made her panic as her eyes grew wide, her chocolate brown irises in view.

Her breathing hitched as she had to maneuver over to her right, lightly pushing the ground with her fingertips to help propel her as she turned midair and flipped out of the way but unfortunately didn't quite stuck the landing as she tumbled to the side as the cool concrete met with her side as she cried out in surprise.

Bakugo's eyes widened slightly as his face became etched with a boiling yet controlled irritation as he huffed before resuming into a defensive stance, not wanting to risk any openings if he were to attack but instead opted to slowly but surely move towards her.

 _'Ouch... that hurts.'_ As she stood, Bakugo's eye twitched before releasing a wave of flames and smoke towards her, knocking the rosy-cheeked brunette off balance.

Bakugo grunted in annoyance, not at her but at himself.

 _'Sh*t, I was too eager to attack, I've essentially made a smokescreen for her, it's a 50/50 chance to see who'll go first.'_

Seeing the opportunity, Uraraka was about to sneak around to attack but stopped in her tracks as an idea popped into her head, she calmed her breathing as she removed her blue tracksuit top, leaving her black tank top visible.

 _'I can't mess this up, I need to be careful.'_ She placed all five fingers on the back of the jacket as it started to float, placing it on the floor before releasing her grip on the blue fabric.

As it started to float towards the sky, she pushed it towards where she presumed Bakugo to be, the center of the smokescreen.

It was a good thing that her quirk affected the gravity on the items she touched instead of changing the mass as it quickly gained speed towards the explosion quirk user.

Stage one has been initiated, time for part two.

She leaped towards the right of her position before activating her quirk on herself, enabling the brunette to glide around Bakugo's position without him noticing.

Bakugo was on edge, there weren't any detectable sounds that he could pick up on as black smoke clouded his vision.

 _'Where is she?'_ His senses suddenly picked up movement in front of him as blue entered his sight.

He felt a rage within him burn with anger. "ARE YOU MOCKING ME?!" He exclaimed before homing in on his target with the speed akin to that of a demon.

Slamming the object to the ground, a large explosion followed soon after.

Silence filled the stadium as the smoke around him cleared, leaving him with only a heavily burnt tracksuit jacket.

Uraraka Ochaco was no-where in sight.

 _'What?!'_

A sudden change in movement appeared behind him as a familiar mop of brown came into sight as his red eyes widened in shock and surprise.

This was it, this was her chance.

But knowing him, she would have to take precautions.

She placed her fingers together, releasing her quirk's effect as she swiftly dropped to the ground before the enraged sandy blond swung his arm in a wide arc towards her, the chain of explosions formed a line like a whip.

Grunting, she propped off her feet, leaning her weight onto her hands her palms touched the grey concrete, bathing the field in an extremely faint pink glow which was only visible to her as her face was close to the ground. She angled her body to the general left direction before propelling herself skyward as she spun in the air before activating her quirk once again soon after, wrapping up her escape route while barely avoiding the chaos beneath her feet.

It was an impressive display as the audience were on the edge of their seats, Izuku's eyes widened extensively with a massive grin on his face as the entire stadium around them cheered in a frenzy of encouragement and excitement.

It was a game of cat and mouse, although this mouse was steadily putting a plan together to fell her predator.

That is until she got hit.

She yelped as Bakugo finally landed a solid blow on her as she flew backward, a plume of smoke appearing from her abdomen as she crashed to the ground hard as she cried in pain. Her head was mere inches from the boundary line.

But she wasn't done, not yet.

Her resilience was something to commend for as many would admit that they would have given up at that point, a look of determination washed over her face as she climbed to her feet, her breaths ragged and heavy.

But unfortunately, Bakugo wasn't done either.

Seeing his chance, he sent waves of explosions towards her as the flames swept across the concrete floor. Her eyebrows furrowed in frustration before she decided to act.

She heard voices beyond the tall wall in front of her but it was generally muffled, though that wasn't what mattered right now.

Right now she had to get out of this mess.

Turning her head around, she found that her surroundings didn't leave her much room for escape. Seeing no other choice, she attempted jumping through it.

Which was a bad idea as her body felt like it was on fire... which it was, but luckily it's effect wore off due to the distance spanning between them, she collapsed to one knee as she panted heavily.

Stress weighed upon her body as it tensed up and her stomach churned.

That wasn't a good sign.

 _'Damn, I'm at my limit... but that can only mean one thing.'_

The flames subsided before she grunted.

Standing straight, her face was etched with exhaustion and a general expression of suppressing her queasiness but a hint of pride and resilience was present on her face.

"It's time to finish this." She said simply, exhaustion not allowing her to say more as many watched with confusion but at the same time, others watched with excitement and some smug looks on their faces. She finally placed her fingertips together, indicating the releasing effect of her quirk.

Seemingly confused, Bakugo looked around before his crimson red eyes widened in surprise.

The entire field was leveled with scorch marks and craters painted across the entire arena.

That could only mean one thing.

Against his natural fighter intuition to leave himself unguarded, curiosity took the better of him in this instance as he turned his head towards the sky.

Which was littered with a mountain of debris.

He was impressed, to say the least as his face was etched with thrill and excitement... as well as just a hint of fear and worry... but only a little bit of course.

The rocks fell towards him with alarming speed... to put it simply,

He was up against a meteor shower.

"Impressive, a worthy challenge." He muttered under his breath as a smile grew on his face.

The sounds of footsteps in front of him indicated her approach.

He was cornered, there were very few options that would let him escape from this tight wedge.

Though there was only one idea that stood out to him the most.

He positioned his legs with a steady stance as his right arm was aimed towards the sky, his other was held firmly on the other to provide the necessary support.

The sweat on his arm sparked towards the pinnacle of his palm as a tremendous explosion plowed through the wall of debris, decimating any of the offending hazards that targeted him as well as pushing Uraraka away.

And just like that, her plan was decimated.

The whiplash of wind was too strong to give her any leeway towards him as she hit the ground once again, her brown bangs which were drenched in sweat obscured her vision but she couldn't give up now.

She couldn't.

She wouldn't.

She struggled to stand on her feet but did so otherwise, the crowd fell silent in awe of her tenacity as the sandy blond in front of her look at the girl with an expression that conveyed slight surprise but soon after morphed into a serious one instead as his body returned to his defensive stance, no way was he going to let down his guard now.

But this was different.

He smirked with an expression which could only be described as excitement in terms of Bakugo as his smirk widened to that of a challenging grin.

"THAT'S IT, FIGHT ME URARAKA!" He yelled having finally deemed her as a worthy opponent as his fist clenched in front of him, demanding that she take the challenge head-on.

Her vision blurred as her consciousness swirled but approached into a dash, accepting the challenge.

Bakugo's crimson eyes widened and pulsed with excitement as his grin grew even wider, he broke out into a sprint as well.

They both yelled in unison as they were about to meet at the center until Uraraka's feet gave out and collapsed in on each other from exhaustion.

She tipped to the side as her eyelids drooped with her eyes dimming with anger and regret, her arms fell limp as she was unable to move before she hit the concrete floor with a loud thud.

Tears began to well up in her eyes as the fire inside her began to die out.

 _"I appreciate the thought Ochako, but as your dad, I'd be even happier if you could achieve your own dream."_

 _"When that happens, you can take us to Hawaii!"_

 _'I want to be able to prove who I am'_

 _'I want to be able to make my parents proud.'_

 _'I want to move forward and catch up with the rest of our friends, and you Deku.'_

 _'I want to be able to come out on top.'_

 _"I want to be able to win on my own terms."_

 _"Let's meet in the finals, Deku."_

 _"I'm rooting for you."_

"No... I... can still... fight..." She muttered under her breath as she crawled towards Bakugo who seemed shocked at what happened but still kept his guard up, in case this was an attempt to trick him and lower his guard.

Her body ached as the light in her vision dimmed, her hair pulled the curtains closed.

Her fist curled up into a ball before releasing her grip as she lay on the floor submissively.

"I'm sorry... failed..."

Midnight walked between the two before placing her hand up in front of Bakugo to prevent him from drawing closer as she knelt down to find the rosy-cheeked girl in shock and rendered unconscious, her chocolate brown locks stuck to her face as dried tears marked her cheeks, her chocolate brown eyes grew large and out of focus.

She sighed before standing, pulling her baton out before waving it in Bakugo's direction.

"Uraraka Ochako is out, Bakugo Katsuki wins!"

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Hey guys, I'm really sorry that I wasn't able to post last week but I hope that this chapter makes up for it... maybe... probably not but hey, what can I do?**

 **... Sorry.**

 **I've had a fun time writing this, though I've had a few tough spots in writing some parts as well as general assignments and test, though that's out of the way for now. I've put a minor twist on the Uraraka vs Bakugo fight as I wanted to add a little more punch to it (though it was mostly for my enjoyment of imagining fighting scenes and attempt to write it down whether it's actually good or not.) I hope you guys liked it, and next will most likely be the Izuku and Todoroki fight which I'm pretty excited for.**

 **Thanks for reading, leave a review or comment as any suggestions to improve my writing will be welcomed.**

 **Ignis.**


	14. Confrontation

**Yuuei Sports Stadium**

Many were still in awe at Bakugo's display of power, leaving some with their mouths hanging open in sheer shock.

Class 1-A, in particular, were worried for fellow classmate's health but were relieved of their worries soon after they received Recovery Girl's diagnosis as they had announced that she only suffered minor scrapes and slight burns as well as stress and fatigue, though she'll recover in due time as she needs rest as there was no permanent damage done and she'll be back on her feet as good as new within an hour's worth of time, all thank's to Recovery Girl's healing quirk.

Even though they had witnessed its power firsthand multiple times, it still amazed all of them as of its versatility, strength, and efficiency.

They were lucky that they had someone like her on the school's staff roster.

The students sighed in relief before Izuku spoke up.

"When are we able to visit her?" He asked tentatively. The aged hero smiled gently before nodding slightly, reading off of her plastic clipboard.

"She's awake for now, though I'd recommend that you go easy on her, it wouldn't be wise to overwhelm her with so many people at once." They all looked at each other and nodded in understanding.

Seemingly satisfied with her work, she waved goodbye before turning to leave, leaving the students to decide amongst themselves as to who should visit first.

They contemplated over this but most of them had come to an agreement as to who should go first.

"I think Midoriya and Iida should have the right to visit her first, they are her best friends after all," Kirishima suggested, his sharpened teeth in view as he smiled.

They all nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, no doubt Midoriya here is probably worried sick!" Ashido joked, causing a blush to appear on the freckled boy's face as of reacting to the pink-skinned student's teasing statement. He started to deny his actions through embarrassment as the rest of the class laughed at his expense, though this of course was all in good fun and Izumi appreciated that. He smiled contentedly, it elated him seeing how comfortable his little brother was with his fellow classmates, it made him happy that he was accepted into a friendly environment which he could grow.

At the current moment, the festival decided to advertise a break, the second round of the tournament was on hold for a few minutes granting the audience an allowance of time to treat and refresh themselves with snack vendors, food items, or simply a trip to the bathroom. Of course, they also had to clean up what used to be recognized as an arena/stage though that was of minor importance as it could be easily fixed thanks to cementoss' handiwork. No doubt the main reception center, as well as the general area outside, would be filled to the brim due to the absence of people currently in the stadium.

Many students have decided to branch off in their own directions for varying purposes, they were still teenagers after all.

On the various monitors that were distributed around the stadium were commercial advertisements from varying hero companies with their own brands of home products. It had always amused him at how ridiculous some of them were, such as advertising cartoons, food products and... law offices? That had always tickled him some way or another.

He sighed amusedly before straightening his posture, placing his hands on his waist.

"Well, guess I better make sure Izuku is okay... maybe I'll check on Todoroki as well." He said to no one in particular, although this was picked up by a certain energetic bluenette that stood beside him.

"Oh! Can I join you?" She asked enthusiastically.

Izumi was visibly startled upon hearing the unexpected request but relaxed once he identified who the source was.

"Ah, Nejire, um... you're here!" He awkwardly smiled before rubbing the back of his head sheepishly, ruffling his already messy green and black hair.

She giggled, "Mhm, Tamaki and Togata went off by themselves somewhere, probably to buy more food. So then..." She held her arms out wide before latching onto the taller boy's torso.

"I figured that I would want to stick with my awesome boyfriend!" She exclaimed.

He stared at her for a moment before his lips formed a gentle smile. He tenderly wrapped his arms around her svelte form and leaned in further to nuzzle her cheek, "You're just too adorable sometimes." He commented, making Nejire smile even wider as she giggled at her boyfriend's playful behavior. The bluenette hugged the greenette tighter, sinking into Izumi's warm embrace before sighing in contentment.

Chuckling, Izumi stroked her aqua blue hair before leaning in to kiss the crown of her head to gain her attention, eliciting the response he wanted from her.

She appeared to get the message as she parted from his torso before intertwining their fingers together, they smiled at each other as their blushes grew.

 _'It's warm...'_

Together, the two made their way down to the stairs to find themselves with an overcrowded reception center, filled to the brim with students and adults alike.

 _'I was totally right...'_ Izumi deadpanned before sighing, although Nejire beside him seemed to be scanning the crowd with excitement and wonder, a bright smile present on her face spreading to his as well.

Looking around, the green and black haired boy searching the outskirts of the mass of people in hopes of finding their destination beforehand, his eyes found their target.

Turning to his side he tugged her hand lightly.

"Well, let's get goi-"

"Ah, Midoriya, Hado." A voice called out behind them.

They both turned around, curious as to who was calling out to them in the midst of the noise.

When they did, a smile had found a way across their faces as they were greeted by a young white-haired man... who happened to have a katana strapped to his side.

It was none other than their homeroom teacher.

Hero Name: Masamune.

Age: 23

Quirk: Fujin's calling

He's a pretty laid back guy and is generally well liked by the students of Yuuei but he's no joke when he's called to the job, his students can testify to this.

"Ah, Masamune Sensei it's good to see you!" Nejire exclaimed as Izumi sent his own greetings to the pro hero with a slight wave.

The man had a relatively tall build with a pale complexion. He typically wore a casual set of clothes along with his favored black scarf that always seemed to hand around his neck, although the only distinctive traits on him were his messy silver-white hair and golden eyes. All in all, he looked to be a fairly standard law-abiding citizen, though his smile was always something pleasant to look at and he was always easy to approach and communicate with as of his laid-back nature.

"Was there something that you needed from us Sensei?" The green haired student asked.

The silver-haired man shook his head accompanied with a minor shrug. "Not really, I just wanted to check up on you guys, and also," He walked up to Izumi before placing a firm hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Congrats on your brother getting in the third round of the festival, the kid's done well to get that far." Izumi nodded before smiling pridefully.

"Yeah, he's worked tirelessly to prove his worth, it makes a brother like me proud." He said confidently, Masamune nodded before smirking.

"No doubt, you were always as soft as butter when it came to the topic of your little brother, though I suppose I can understand that the boy's gone through much." He shrugged casually, "He still has a long way to go though, but with a brother like you I'd bet that he'll make it far into the pro hero industry." Izumi blushed at the man's compliments before he tapped into the nervous and timid personality that would usually be accustomed to Izuku.

"U-uh, T-thank you, S-sensei..." He stuttered, making the other two laugh at his expense.

"Sorry, but seeing you like that is just too funny." He got out between heavy bouts of laughter. After it died down Masamune wiped a tear from his eye before slapping the green and black haired boy on the back hard. "Don't worry, you're still one of my favorite students after all." Izumi just looked at him with a smirk on his face, "You say that to everyone in our class Masamune sensei." The silver-haired man laughed once more, "Hah, I guess that's true, though I believe it's well placed." The two smiled at his honest words, they chatted for a while longer before the golden-eyed man yawned loudly before stretching his arms out wide.

"Welp, I'm going to go take a short nap until the next round starts." He said dismissively before turning around and waving his hand casually. The man paused for a moment before turning back to them, "Oh, Midoriya, there was something that I wanted to discuss with you."

The boy looked slightly confused but decided to ask the obvious anyway.

"What about?"

The silver-haired man walked forward towards him before rummaging through his jacket's pocket to pull out a slip of scrunched paper.

"It's about your quirk... your _other_ quirk." Izumi's eyes widened slightly but stayed silent to let him continue.

He sighed before his head to the side as he scratched his head, "Well details aside, Nezu, Aizawa and I have come upon the decision to help train your quirk." He stated simply before patting his shoulder lightly, "Don't worry, we'll talk about this later, this is a slip like a reminder for when we get back to class, though that comes later so you two just go enjoy yourselves okay?" The couple looked at each other before nodding in appreciation.

"Okay, thank you again sensei." The man smiled before waving his hand.

"Don't mention it, now if you don't mind..." He turned around once again, "I've got a date with a comfortable chair in the lounging room." He said jokingly, eliciting a laugh from the two students putting a smile on his face.

"Be sure to give my regards to little Izuku, Midoriya." Smiling, they nodded in acknowledgment and gave their goodbyes before walking their separate ways.

Walking hand in hand, the two made their way through the busy crowd., though the taller of the two seemed to be deep in thought as he mulled over his teacher's words, unsure of what's to come and to expect.

 _Your other quirk..._

* * *

Izuku found himself rooted to the cold ground beneath him as he felt his chest tighten under the hardened gaze of the large bulky man who stood right in front of him. He had silently closed the navy blue door, letting Uraraka have her much needed phone call and talk with her parents. His fingertips felt cold against the bar of steel that was bolted to the door in front of him. He sighed dejectedly as his breath was shaky, he recalled hearing the muffled sounds of her crestfallen sighs as he had stood outside of her room, the feeling of helplessness overwhelmed him as he could only stare at the object that stood between them. The memory of his usually cheery friend left him with only a heavier weight on his shoulders as he clenched his teeth.

He wanted to see her smile again.

That single thought was what gave him the courage to enter the room, he took in a deep breath to steel himself before opening the door, Uraraka had been one of his best friends since the start of his school year, they have been through lots of hardships together and he had to admit that... well, he liked her.

But the sight before him made his heart fall.

The girl in question sat at a nearby table, hunched over as her trembling arms were folded in front of her as her hands shook. She turned around quickly to see who came in, letting out a small squeak upon seeing who came in.

Izuku could only stand there, his emerald green eyes softened in pity and concern. Her own chocolate eyes were bloodshot and shaky as they frantically shot across, scanning the room for anything to discuss but to no avail, as the room she was found in was practically empty. Her tear stained cheeks glowed red in embarrassment. Her lips were quivering fearfully before she attempted to put on a smile, though it more likely resembled a wobbly line. She had never shown any signs of dear or depression while they were together, it hurt him to see one of his best friends and inspirations seem so weak and miserable.

"D-Deku! , uh... uhm..." She fumbled over her words as she looked away from him in hopes that he would just leave her alone to wallow in self-pity, she didn't want him of all people to see her this way, she had just wanted to hide behind that cheery and happy mask that she had always wore in front of her friends. Though now, it was cracked.

He took a step forward but she remained unmoved, though her body quivered as he drew closer.

Step after painful step, he had made his way right beside her huddled figure, she couldn't take it anymore.

"... Please leave me alone..." She whispered.

He stood there, a single word or sound had yet to leave his lips. His shadow flows over as she pleaded to him once more. "Please..."

A moment had passed before she was suddenly enveloped in a comfortable and warm embrace, the usually timid and shy Deku had mustered up the courage to grant his friend the comfort she desperately needed as she sat there, stiff as a statue before she felt the walls she had built around herself begin to crumble. It had terrified her that he could so easily break down her insecurities, she didn't want to be hurt again...

But this time, she felt safe and warm... it had reminded her of her parents.

She had missed them, so much.

Uraraka clutched Izuku's top as she trembled in his arms, taking deep breaths to steady herself. Izuku had done nothing but hold her tightly and stroked her hair comfortingly, he shivered against her touch but slowly settled into it.

She laid her forehead against his firm chest, "Sorry..."

"What are you apologizing for Uraraka-san? You didn't do anything wrong." She was about to retort but stopped herself from doing so, she knew that the boy would just keep at it until she felt better, he was stubborn like that. Smiling, she simply chuckled before pulling back from the embrace.

Taking in a deep breath the girl exhaled before pumping her fists into the air, her brown eyes gleaming as a smile formed on the edges of her lip.

"Well, I guess I have to thank you instead, so thanks... Izuku." The boy froze in place as a blush grew warmly on his freckled cheeks, though in the midst of all the questions being asked in the depths of his mind Uraraka also had a blush across her rosy cheeks, now becoming a scarlet red as she simply giggled at his expected reaction.

The two stood in silence, the space between them grew heavy and awkward as the two pondered on what to do next.

* _Ring... Ring... Ring...*_

The sound echoed throughout the room, making the two as stiff as statues.

Uraraka fumbled about, she was flustered but relieved that the tension was broken as she rummaged through her pockets before pulling out a pink flip phone, her head tilted curiously before her eyes widened upon reading the calling number.

The girl's eyes were glued to the screen, painful memories resurfaced, their caring voices and words of encouragement. But after her defeat, what would they think of her now...

"Dad..."

Her voice was quiet but Izuku had picked up on it and decided it was his cue to leave.

She looked back up to him upon noticing his movements which were slow but hurried at the same time, feeling that she had done something to push him away she attempted to form an apology but the green haired boy quickly waved it off.

"Uraraka san, you should take the call... I think that you need it, hear what he has to say." His words were soft and kind as her chocolate brown eyes started to water at the thought of her parents.

Nodding, she smiled brightly making a sound of agreement and approval.

"Thanks Deku, good luck for your match." Stopping for a moment, a small smile grew on his face as he nodded with determination. His green irises grew in intensity, Uraraka was familiar with this image.

It was one that showed promise and hope, it was a light that she knew would take him far into this world of heroes and villains.

 _"Thank you..."_

The vivid memory was still at the forefront of his mind, though bringing himself back to reality the freckled student found himself in front of the no. 2 hero Endeavor, the flaming giant had called for him as he left the room to prepare for his next match, his gruff voice had caught him off guard as he squeaked at his sudden appearance.

Upon being called, Izuku could feel the heavy and intimidating presence that emanated from his being. The man's piercing teal blue eyes bore deep into his being as his mind raced as his pulse beat faster.

 _So this is Todoroki's_ _dad, huh?_

A heavy and tense silence hung in the air, the two's stares were firm and their bodies unmoving, although Izuku felt that he was about to break first.

"You're Izuku Midoriya, correct?" Endeavor asked, though Izuku had never known Endeavor personally, he had one relative that was.

"U-uhm, y-yes..." Izuku hastily replied. The flaming giant leaned over to get a better look at him, though his eyes showed a minor hint of disappointment. Comparing the timid boy to his elder brother, Endeavor could see a contrasting difference between the two, this one was weak. Though he saw no other way to achieve what he wanted.

"Hmph, I want you to do something for me Midoriya." The boy in question frowned before tilting his head to the side, "Me? What for?"

Endeavor folded his arms casually before his face morphed into an expression that was somehow more serious and annoyed than moments before. "I want you to provoke Todoroki into using my powers." He replied bluntly making Izuku reel back slightly. "W-what?!"

Grunting in annoyance, the man saw that he needed to explain further, "My son refuses to use my powers due to some... _circumstances_ but he doesn't understand that keeping up that charade will be the reason behind his downfall." Izuku's eyes widened, he had known that the boy had not liked to use his left side at all, it did explain why his ice quirk had only been influenced by his right side. Though the hybrid quirk user had never mentioned what happened between him and his father, though everybody in the class had a good idea of how he felt about his old man.

"Why?" He muttered. He wasn't about to let his friend be pushed around, he needed to fight for him. Izuku had always remembered his distant looks and cold tone, he was suffering. Endeavor scoffed before pointing a finger towards the freckled boy. "It is none of your concern, but I want him to get stronger... and you will be his stepping stone to be number one." His emerald eyes twisted into a hardened glare, it was rare to see him in such a state, he didn't even mind being called a ' _stepping stone_ ' for his friends... but he had to ask himself, "Does _he_ want that?"

Behind a corner wall, Izumi and Nejire had stumbled upon the heated scene before them, though it actually was getting pretty heated as the number 2 hero had visually been ticked off.

"Um, should we do something?" Nejire asked the amber-eyed boy, Izumi had known Endeavor quite well considering he had worked under the man as a sidekick for his three years in Yuuei. Though things were kind of rocky at the start of his internship considering Endeavor's blunt and heated personality, Izumi had found that he was a great mentor and had a great amount of respect for him, even if his mannerisms could be improved. He was responsible for bringing Izumi's quirk to great heights, the Todoroki's were like an extended family to him and he had a good and open relationship with each of them.

"... I'm not sure, though..." Izuku had spoked again, it was rare to see the normally timid boy seem so confrontational to an intimidating figure such as Endeavor. "I think he needs to do this." Though they had only stumbled upon half of their conversation, he could tell that the main topic was about the youngest member of the Todoroki family, Shoto.

Izuku had suddenly turned around to leave, though his posture was stiff and tight. "I'm not all Might but that means that Todoroki's not you either." His fists visibly clenched as Endeavor's face contorted in rage, the flaming giant had to hold himself from berating the freckled boy but he wasn't done.

"I'll do all I can to help him, not for you but for him." The mic was dropped as the heat died down, Izuku's footsteps echoed throughout the hallway into the light of the arena. The three had stayed silent at Izuku's declaration, the two students were starting to get nervous. It wasn't every day that he could just stop entirely, Izumi was worried that he would have an outbreak but he was proven wrong. The man chuckled quietly before it evolved into loud laughter, a broad smile was present on his face as he turned around to face the pair of prying eyes.

"I see great potential within him... you have a good one, Iwaizumi." The two sighed in relief before stepping out in front of him. Of the time that Izumi had known him, he had been known to be cold and harsh despite his physically warm exterior. Though he has expressed some source of cheer on rare occasions, though it was usually a foreign concept to the man. "Thanks, Boss." The man showed a small smile before placing a hand on the boy's shoulder before walking off. The two watched as his ignited figure dims in the distance, Nejire turned to him with an expression of curiosity and awe.

"Wow, I didn't know that Endeavor could be so nice, he did seem angry at your little brother before." Izumi merely shrugged, his mouth had formed into a sly smirk "Heh, maybe he's just warmed up to me." he joked.

Nejire smiled before covering her mouth "Pffft, really? That was lame Izumi." He smiled wider before wrapping his hand around her and holding the blue haired girl close. "Then why are you smiling, hmm?" The boy retorted, Nejire giggled before tackling Izumi with a giant bear hug. "Because it's one of the things that I like about you." She looked up to meet his gaze as her face expressed pride and joy, "You're my lame boyfriend!"

Izumi burst out laughing, Nejire soon followed suit as the two stood there, "I can't believe you said that with a straight face..." He hugged her tighter as he leaned in against her ear. "But that's one of the things that I like most about you." He whispered.

Nejire shuddered as his warm breath tickled her neck. She pushed him away playfully, "You're such a flirt Izumi, It's unbecoming of you." She teased, he simply chuckled "Heh, sorry."

The bluenette shook her head in amusement before grabbing his hand lightly, "That doesn't mean I didn't like it." She commented with a slight blush on her cheeks. A loud cheer had erupted from the space above, the two looked back at each other before smiling.

"Looks like the next round is about to start." Nejire commented, beside her Izumi nodded, "Mm, let's go then."

* * *

To say that they were blown away was an understatement, the fated match between two powerful rivals had been an amazing spectacle for all to see. The determination in their eyes, the fierce clashes that they have shared. Though it may have been an amazing sight for everyone else, Izumi couldn't help but feel saddened that Izuku had pushed himself this far, the green and black haired boy had visibly flinched each time Izuku had broken one of his fingers, Izuku knew it wasn't healthy, he knew that this kind of behaviour was self-destructive but he knew that Todoroki was suffering and he desperately needed a friend to show him the way, he was determined to save him even if it would cost him the win.

And then he had said those five words, the words that would change Todoroki's world. "It's your power, not his!"

Izuku had lost the match but at the same time, he had won something greater.

He had won Todoroki's freedom.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Hey guys, sorry I haven't updated last week, hopefully I will be able to update by next Saturday (or Friday depending on where you're from) though there can't be any promises because that's just how life goes I suppose.**

 **I hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter, I have tried out some new "Methods" or "techniques" which I believe are a good influence so I hope it makes the story more enjoyable for you guys.**

 **So this is the first chapter that I've added a new OC, I hope you guys like him (He'll be pretty important for the story so I'll probably be able to convey how his quirk better than that confusing explanation, though don't worry he'll be cool, I'm sure of it.) I'm also probably going to add class 3-A soon enough so if you have any characters or OCs that you'd like me to include, let me know and I'll (probably) put them in.**

 **Also for those who has already read this, I've decided to chance Masamune's quirk to something else. Don't worry, it'll be explained in chapter 17.**

 **I also apologize for not adding in the full fight scene between the two, though I didn't believe that it would be enjoyable if I did (I mean, it would have probably been some extra commentary but there wouldn't be any significant or relevant changes, I've already been dragging out this update long enough, it even makes me suffer when I don't get these things to you guys on time) and I hope the IzuOcha scene wasn't too cringey (I can't really say if it's good or not but if you guys liked it then I'm happy) Also, I have made some changes to Endeavor's character in terms of his angry meter, though I'll be sure to add on to explaining Izumi's and the Todoroki family's history soon enough and I'm really excited for it, I was also excited to see more of the Todoroki family in the latest chapter of the manga, you bet that they'll be featured soon enough.**

 **That's all for now, thanks for reading!**

 **Ignis**


	15. Powerless

**Yuuei Sports Stadium - Arena**

He had lost, it wasn't as if he had much of a chance against the hybrid quirk user anyway but he was literally and figuratively blown away at Todoroki's prowess. He had his back to the cracked wall, a crater had formed behind him and his back flared in pain, his arms were busted and bruised to no end. He was tired, he had given it his all... but he was happy, it had been a form relief to see that rare and uncharacteristically wide smile from the boys lips once the flames had engulfed his left side, to anyone else the dual colored boy would have looked like a maniac but to Izuku it was a sign that showed that he had broken free from his chains.

His legs wobbled, they were also extensively bruised but the damage couldn't be compared to his arms, not even close. It was funny, despite his attempts to keep himself from falling apart and preserve his limbs, he had discarded all of his reservations aside to match Todoroki's frightening force head on. The freckled boy wondered how his mother and brother would feel about this, no doubt that they would be concerned greatly. That was just the way they were and he was grateful for their support. His mother was predictable in the sense that she would have cried her eyes out, they had even run out of their humongous tissue supply when the two had returned from the USJ attack alive, though those wounds weren't self-inflicted. His brother, on the other hand, was more unpredictable, there were the extremely rare occasions that the amber-eyed boy had shown the emotion of anger and those moments are primarily directed towards villains. Though he had known him for having a ridiculous amount of patience, more than anyone could possibly achieve, the walls that he has built could crumble easily when it came to hurting the people he cared about which reminded Izuku of himself.

But at this moment Izuku couldn't keep his eyes open much longer, his legs were about to give out, he just wanted to take a break. The calm wind combed through his messy green hair as he tipped over, the patch of grass underneath him seemed quite inviting, he wouldn't mind a short nap, though recovery girl would probably scold him for not getting immediate medical attention as of the current state of his body.

His eyes shifted down as he fell, the ground appeared to be growing closer, he braced himself for impact, there was no doubt in his mind that the impact would hurt but he could really care less right now. He had closed his eyes waiting for the darkness to take him until he stopped and was placed against something soft and warm. Izuku winced slightly as his arms had been folded over the warm object, the pain in his arms flared but he didn't have the energy to complain. The freckled boy breathed heavily before slumping over the shadow he had landed on deciding that it was a good enough pillow.

The world turned dark as sleep overtook him, he blacked out.

* * *

Izumi sighed once he felt Izuku's breathing shallow, he stood up lifting Izuku with his hands supporting the smaller boy's thighs. He had hoped that he didn't hurt Izuku but his breathing hadn't suggested that any damage was done so that made things easier for the amber-eyed student. The arena was in ruins once again meaning that there would most likely be another break until the stage was repaired, his orange eyes scanned the field until they had stopped upon seeing Todoroki's heavily breathing form. The left side of his short-sleeved tracksuit had been burnt off, revealing the boy's well-defined body. His teal and grey eyes seemed distant and his chest expanded heavily, he appeared to be in shock. The power that he had witnessed had scared him, he had made a promise to not use his father's inheritance to win the battle but that promise was broken, shattered into pieces. The devastating combo between his two already powerful quirks had resulted only in destruction, and to top it all off, he had hurt someone, the one that reached out to help him, what did that make him?

A monster.

His body ached at the excessive use of his quirk, his head rang in pain bringing his hand to try and relieve his pain. This wasn't right, he needed to go. He looked back at the form of Izuku Midoriya, the one that had sacrificed his own health to free him from the shackles of his own blood, his clothes were torn, his arms and legs were visibly bruised a sickening purple and his eyes seemed faded. He was slightly surprised to see Izumi there with his brother sleeping on his back, though he supposed that it wasn't a secret that the two had a deep bond and were what would be a prime example of what siblings should be. What surprised him further was that the green and black haired boy had seemed to beckon the hybrid quirk user before him to walk with him. Todoroki felt conflicted, he wasn't able to predict how he would react to his actions, for once, he was scared. The amber-eyed boy had only shown him kindness for the three years that he knew him, even if Todoroki had acted coldly to him at the start of their relationship due to his connection with his father, the Todoroki family had been greatly affected by his presence, even when a dark cloud had been cast over their heads the green and black haired boy had never failed to lift their spirits with his smile, even their father had begun to improve his mood if only slightly. Izumi had even stood up against their father about the way that they have treated them in the past and since then they had only loved him more, he was more or less family to them and he had owed Izumi so much.

But instead, Todoroki had hurt Izuku, something that Izumi didn't take lightly. He was the reason that Izuku had gone to such long lengths in an attempt to release him from his chains and he didn't do anything to stop it but only make his injuries worse. He couldn't do it, he didn't want to see his father's face on his friend so he turned away.

"Shoto." Izumi said sternly making Todoroki freeze in his tracks, he slowly turned around to face him but only saw a look of understanding in his amber eyes, contemplating his options for a second he decided to follow him, though he felt that he would soon regret it. Izumi sighed in relief internally once he saw Todoroki make his way towards his potion, albeit slowly. The two had disappeared from the public eye as they entered the pale blue corridor. They walked in silence as their footsteps echoed through the halls.

"Are you okay, Todoroki?" Izumi asked without turning to him, Todoroki could only nod in response. Izumi visibly relaxed before he sighed, "That's good..." They became silent once more until they turned a corner. "I'm not mad you know." The statement made Todoroki slow into a full halt, hearing this, Izumi turned around to meet his expression of confusion and disbelief. He formed a weak smile "I know why Izuku had gone to such far lengths to help you, you know... your father had a talk with Izuku, he wanted him to provoke you into using your powers." Todoroki's grey and teal eyes widened in a sudden fit of anger, was his opinion about Izuku wrong, did he work with his father to make him into a monster? He opened his mouth to respond but was cut off, "But, Izuku had stood up for you. He had said, _"_ _I'm not All Might but Todoroki's not you either. I'll do all I can to help him, not for you but for him."_ The hybrid quirk user stopped, his brash assumptions had come to a stop as he could only stare at the unconscious boy that lay on Izumi's shoulders with a look of dumbfounded surprise and respect, had he really gone so far just to help someone he barely knew... yes, of course he did, he is a Midoriya after all.

Izumi smiled upon seeing Todoroki's expression of understanding, he was glad that he had cut him off at the right time or he could have heard some things that he would rather not hear, he had just dodged a bullet. He turned back around, his face seemed to be deep in thought before his eyes lifted slightly. "If you could... you could thank him when this is all over. I think that he'd appreciate that greatly." Todoroki's posture relaxed before making a noise of approval.

"Yes, I suppose that's a good idea."

* * *

Distant voices could be heard above him yet Izuku's vision was pitch black. Where am I, he thought as his body lay in a black void. A faint trace of color filled his vision as the voices were also beginning to sound louder, he knew these people, All Might, Recovery Girl... and his brother. He felt a soft material underneath him as he found himself on what appeared to be a bed, Izuku groaned as his senses were awakened. His head spun as something appeared to have been placed on his head. He turned to the side in an attempt to block out the noises to leave him to his sleep, only to be met with a searing pain that made him yelp. His eyes opened immediately, he was momentarily blinded with white light. Wincing, the freckled boy attempted to rub his eyes to help adjust his vision but found himself unable to do so. His face morphed into an expression of confusion, he squinted his eyes to take a better look at his surroundings.

He was in a medical room.

It was a relatively simple one at that with only a few beds and tables, a desk was placed in the corner of the room with colorful images and drawings alike pinned to a brown grainy pinboard. The room was well light, the atmosphere was calm and quiet, the blue walls and the window revealing the world outside furthered the effectiveness of the room's tranquility. Turning his gaze he found four people looking at him, he had correctly identified the presence of the three voices but what he didn't expect was to find Todoroki standing near the doorway, his grey and teal eyes appeared to soften as if he was relieved that the freckled student was okay. The other three had similar expressions on their faces, especially Izumi who had sat right beside him as he beamed at his younger brother with a cheeky grin.

"Look who's come from the grave." He joked, earning a light slap from recovery girl, a grin and light chuckle from All Might as well as an unexpected smile on Todoroki's face, albeit small. He tilted his head to the side in confusion, what were they talking about? Then it hit him like a truck, memories flooded back as he recalled his self-destructive match against Todoroki. Izuku nervously chuckled as Izumi's face grew serious and concerned. "How are you feeling?" He asked. "Heheh, not too bad, though my arms kinda hurt." He answered with a smile on his face. Izumi's expression softened before he reached out and ruffle Izuku's already messy hair.

"Well, you did just have surgery so it wouldn't be unnatural for your arms to be sore." Todoroki bluntly commented which proceeded to make Izuku's eyes go wide and his jow to drop, if he had the use of his arms he would have probably flung them out into the air as well, "WHAT!?" He exclaimed. Recovery girl sighed before clutching the side of her head lightly. "Please don't be so loud..." She asked him slightly annoyed at his volume, Izuku shrunk before apologizing. She pulled out a familiar looking clipboard, flipping through the pages she stopped at what Izuku believed was his diagnosis.

"You had several broken bones, especially those in your arms. I had to remove some of the bone fragments so they wouldn't potentially damage your chances at recovery." Sighing she turned to place the board on a nearby wooden table. "You should really be more careful and I wouldn't take that statement lightly if I were you, young man. The damage you've done to your arms were nearly out of my reach, it will still take a few days for your arms to be fully active again." Izuku's eyes went wide with shock before they sunk apologetically. "Sorry..." He mumbled.

The aged woman shook her head lightly before putting her hand up, "I understand what you were trying to do, believe me, I do, but I think that it'd be better for your sake as well as the people around you that you use less... _self-destructive_ methods." She walked up beside him before tapping his casts lightly with her syringe modeled cane, Izuku sighed in acknowledgment before nodding, in turn, she smiled back before walking out the door, "You're free to go whenever you feel that you're ready but I do ask that you be careful, other than that I'll be off."

Todoroki nodded before stepping near the door frame, he turned towards Izuku though his expression remained stoic. "I'll be taking my leave as well..." He looked down for a moment before meeting his gaze again, "Midoriya." Izuku tilted his head, "Yeah Todoroki?" The hybrid quirk user took in a deep breath before exhaling to steel his nerves.

"Thanks for helping me out... it means a lot."

Izuku was dumbfounded at the boy's words, even though he thought that this was some sort of joke, he saw no lies in his grey and teal eyes. It wasn't like Todoroki made jokes as well, in truth, he was the one that usually didn't get the jokes in the first place. Smiling, Izuku just nodded. "It's what a friend would do." He smiled at that before nodding, sliding open the door Todoroki left the room, his footsteps echoed through the hallway before they became out of reach.

Izumi made a hum of approval before turning back towards the two, Toshinori appeared to be smiling as he had a small chat with Izuku. Though the festival was still on, Izumi decided that it would be best that he would stick with his brother until he left, he hadn't had the chance to have a talk with him as he had decided before the match. He walked up to him before sitting on the end of the bed that Izuku was currently occupying, they had chatted away for the next few minutes concerning Izuku's training and precautions concerning his use of One for All.

"So how did you control One for All, All Might?" Izuku inquired, Toshinori placed a hand to his chin as his eyes closed in thought, "I had pretty much had a full grasp on it since I had received it, so I don't really have much to teach you except for the fundamentals on how to use it but when it comes to controlling your quirk to a usable level, I don't have much to go off." The green haired student sighed dejectedly before hanging his head low in defeat with his lips pouting, Izumi patted his pack in an attempt to comfort his brother. "But, I do know a man who had taught me all I know about combat, he also knows about One for All." The freckled student held up his head before tilting it to the side with curiosity. "Really, who was your teacher? There wasn't any information on the internet regarding how you were taught." Toshinori chuckled before rubbing the back of his head sheepishly, "Yeah, well you could say that he had only worked in Yuuei as a teacher for a short while but he went off the radar due to not being interested in being a pro-hero... it's a long story." He ended, Izumi scratched his chin in thought, "So what was his name?" He asked.

Toshinori visibly shook as his voice trembled slightly. "Gran... Torino..." He whispered before slapping his bony cheeks and shaking his head furiously, "Keep it together All Might... Keep it together..." He muttered to himself before turning away. The two watched in slight horror at the sight of seeing the world's symbol of peace shaking in his boots, How scary is this guy? They thought, not even Izumi had heard of such a man during his years at Yuuei, he must have endured a tough deal to have suffered this amount of innate fear for the man.

Deciding to change the topic, Izuku turned towards Izumi with his eyes desperate for anything to stop the image of his hero from being cemented in his memory, though for Izumi, he couldn't help but feel sorry for the man, although he did wonder how Nejire would have reacted to seeing All Might shake in fear.

Izuku turned towards Izumi, his emerald eyes gleamed with recollection and curiosity. "Nii-san, can I ask you a question?" He asked, the amber-eyed student turned towards the still cowering All-Might who had seemed to be absorbed in his recollective imagination, it was at times like these that the two had wondered what the symbol of peace had gone through, though that thought was to be saved and entertained for another time. Smiling, Izumi sat closer to his brother before nodding slightly, "Of course, what is it Izuku?"

"Hmm, I wanted to ask if you could make do on that promise that you had made to me earlier, y'know the one about your _other_ quirk?" Izumi froze, his face still had that happy grin but internally he sighed, he supposed that he could entertain the freckled boy... but just thinking about it brought back bad memories. Staring back down at his lap he remained quiet which had worried Izuku. "Ah, I'm sorry.. um, you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to..." Izuku fumbled, sighing wearily Izumi looked back at him with a small smile, "No, it's okay... I don't mind." The amber-eyed boy looked out the window before humming softly, "Hmm, where do I begin... well, I suppose I should start with the basic explanation." Turning back, Izumi had found Izuku with his pen and notebook at the ready as he intently eyed his older brother with a rather amusing look on his face, considering that he had held his pen with his mouth making Izumi chuckle lightly.

Quite the academic.

He quickly took the pen and notebook from him, accompanied by a complaint from Izuku. "H-hey, what are you doing?" Izumi sighed before shaking his head, "You're in no condition to be doing anything right now, mister." Izumi spoke while doing his best imitation of recovery girls voice. Izuku hung his head in defeat before Izumi patted his leg. "Hey, lighten up. You know that I could always write it for you... it is my entry after all." He added with a chuckle, Izuku reluctantly agreed, though internally he felt happy that his brother would approve of his note-taking and had even opted to write some for him.

After a minute of note-writing, he closed the book before holding out his palm for Izuku to see, "Well..." an orange flame mixed with streaks of blue and gold flickered to life before dancing circles on his palm. The sensation was warm and inviting but it had always left him with a chill running down the back of his spine, though it was quite pleasant to look at. Izuku had also seemed impressed by the small display as he was visibly twitching that he couldn't make his own observations

"At the base, my quirk is attributed to the element of fire. Since my other quirk is electrokinesis at its base, that makes me a pure emitter type quirk user." Izuku nodded in understanding before his movements came to an abrupt halt as he lifted his head with that same expression of hunger for knowledge. Chuckling, Izumi continued. "This quirk in particular works with the function of a _trade-off_ system. At its core, the basis of my pyrokinetic quirk is traded off by my body heat, so it leaves me rather cold if the fire I generate becomes too hot or too large." Izuku nodded once again before his eyes lit up with realization as he held up his right-hand cast. "But what about when you healed me? By the explanation you had explained, it doesn't match up with how you healed my finger, Brother?" He nodded, "Right you are little brother. You see, by definition of a trade-off, my quirk is able to trade in one of the most powerful substances that can give my flames powerful abilities that wouldn't normally be possible, such as a boost in power or the ability to heal wounds for instance."

Izuku placed his cast's nub to his chin thought and slight frustration, what could he mean by a powerful substance? Did he mean body mass, or blood... or... Izuku stopped as his mind had raced back in time as he had remembered one incident which had his older brother badly burnt and charred to the bone, Izuku was around eight then, his brother ten. Izumi was hospitalized for a few months as his vitals were read to be extremely low, it was considered a miracle that he was still alive. It was a long time ago but he could remember it as if it were yesterday.

Inko and Izuku had reached the hospital in a rushed panic, apologizing to people along the way for pushing past them like normal, kind mannered citizen. Reaching the waiting room, the two were directed and seated in a special waiting room as the flashing red emergency light loomed above the door that stood between them and the eldest son of the Midoriya family. Minutes had passed and they were already on the edge of their seats, Inko had sweated bullets while Izuku had frantically tried to calm her down despite his own panic.

He didn't want his older brother to leave them as well.

The doors opened, revealing an illuminated light as a tall, skinny man with light brown hair walked out to hand down the verdict. Their breaths were held in apprehension, they had braced for the worst case scenario but the doctor just smiled warmly. "Mrs. Midoriya, correct?" He asked, flipping through the pages on his plastic clipboard. Inko nodded before rising out of her seat, trembling gently as her form was huddled. "Y-yes, h-how is he, Doctor?" Her voice barely above a whisper with her eyes having a plead of desperation. The good doctor nodded before stepping aside, "He's just resting now but we'd expect that he'd need a month or two to recover but you're free to go inside to visit him." Izuku's timid short form shuffled from behind Inko, "Mommy?" He asked clutching her dress with innocent eyes. "Is Nii-san going to be okay?"

The doctor could only stare at Izuku with understanding and pity. When they had received the victim's profile of family members, they had found that their father had passed away about two years ago, Hizashi Midoriya if he remembered correctly. The doctor had been working beside Chiyo on the late father's autopsy report when he was still relatively inexperienced. Though he didn't know the man well, he had seen the looks of despair and sadness on the Midoriya's faces. The very boy that he had treated today had stood beside him, though he was also injured, his injuries were minor as he was allowed to be released early. He had remembered the vivid memory of the boy's cries of anguish as he sobbed into his deceased father's chest. It was a reality that someone so young didn't deserve.

Sighing, he nodded before crouching down to Izuku's level. "Don't worry buddy, your brother's going to be a-ok." He said while winking, making young green head smile ever so slightly. A hesitant smile appeared on Inko's face as she watched the two's interactions, though her uneasiness showed as her head turned towards the dual doors every so often with a panicked expression, the red light had since faded and died down. Sighing, he patted Izuku's head before standing up straight. He led them into the room which Izumi had been transferred to. The room was relatively small with a single window that gave a wonderful view of the night outside, they had been greeted by a few other doctors and nurses were present, each having clipboards within their grasp while checking the boy's vitals. Her smile fell upon seeing Izumi's bandaged form.

Her dear boy had been mummified as bandages wrapped around his upper torso and legs, lacerations could also be found on his face as multiple spots of bruised and swollen skin suggested severe burns. An IV drip had been placed beside him as a straw was attached to his left arm, various sensors and monitors were placed across his body, the heartbeat monitor beside him beat at a low but steady rate. His breathing was ragged as an oxygen mask was latched onto his face. Inko ran towards the side of his bed, the doctors and nurses kindly took a step away. "Izumi!" The amber-eyed boy turned his head before smiling weakly. "M-mom?...You're... here..." She placed both of her hands on one of his before leaning her head against him "Of course I am sweetie..."

"Mom..."

At that time, Izuku felt so powerless, he couldn't do anything to help him or his mother. The green haired boy could only cling to his mother as he watched his brother's pained expression.

His eyes widened at the memory, did it have any correlation with his brother's dangerous quirk? Izuku did think that having to stay in the hospital was unnecessary at the time but he was proven wrong, it actually took longer than that and even when he was released, he was still shaky on his feet and fell into a stroke a few times. It was painful for them to watch, to see a cherished family member writhe in pain, each time it happened, there was a chance that he wouldn't survive.

But why did it happen?

His brother had never shown signs of illness prior to the incident and the doctors had said that there were no signs of infections or cancer within his body, so why?

That's when it hit him, was his quirk really the base for all this? He turned to his brother once more to confirm his answer. But getting the words out from his mouth was difficult, it was as if a frog had lumped itself in his throat, he had known the answer but why couldn't he get it out? Izumi smiled sadly before writing something down in his notebook. Laying it in front of Izuku to see, the green haired boy flinched upon seeing the words which were written in bold.

 _One of the said fuels uses my own life force._

Izuku didn't say anything, neither did Izumi, All Might could only watch as the two looked at the ground. Izumi with sadness and shame, Izuku with regret and a hint of anger. All Might was unable break the tension or attempt to do anything to help them but he knew that this was something that they had to get over on their own. He cleared his throat, "Young Midoriyas, the next match will be starting soon. You can come join me if you want?" Izumi smiled before standing up, "Thank you Toshinori, though I better get back to Nejire and the others." He turned towards Izuku, "Take care, Izuku." The freckled student smiled weakly before nodding, "Sure..."

Izumi nodded in return before exiting the room silently, leaving only All Might and Izuku behind.

Toshinori turned back towards the one for all successor to find him looking out the window, the world outside was quite peaceful as birds chirped on perched branches, the occasional muffled roar of the crowd could be heard from the other side. The blue sky was painted with the occasional white clouds as the calm wind made the leaves of the trees rustle in excitement.

A flurry of memories rushed through his mind, though he couldn't make much out of it, he felt a question bubble up.

"Can I ask you a question, All Might?" Izuku spoke softly, the question had come out from no-where but he had no reason to decline. "Sure, what is it kiddo?"

He laid back onto his bed as he stared at the white ceiling, resting his casts over his torso. "Why did you pick me to be your successor?" His voice barely over a whisper to ensure that prying ears wouldn't hear them. Toshinori looked at the boy with confusion, "Why do you ask, young Midoriya?"

"... because... " Izuku narrowed his eyes at the ceiling in confusion and slight anger. Toshinori sighed, "You feel responsible that your brother is going to such lengths with his quirk that he's hurting himself, and you can't do anything to stop him?" He asked, though it appeared to be more of a statement than a question. Izuku sighed as his anger faded, only to feel regret and sadness. "Yeah... I... I just feel so weak and powrless to help him when he had just been supporting me all my life whereas I can't do anything to help him... Kacchan was right." He closed his eyes.

"I feel worthless... I don't feel like I'm worthy of being a her-"

"Don't finish that statement, young man." Toshinori cut him off, Izuku turned to him with only more confusion and anger evident in his forest green eyes as he looked in his sunken blue eyes. "But why?! I'm just stupid, dumb quirkless Deku! I couldn't even make do on that promise I had made you, I'm not even worth your time... I'm not fit to inherit your powers... I just-"

"Stop." The blond man said sternly and loudly, effectively shutting him up. His blue eyes flared with an intensity that Izuku had never seen before. He hung his head in defeat, he didn't mean to let out all of his frustrations on his idol and teacher

As he was about to apologize but Toshinori beat him to the punch. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be so loud but that behavior is unacceptable for an aspiring hero such as yourself." He scolded before taking in a deep breath to calm himself as his eyes level with his. "Look, I know how kind you are young Midoriya, all of the accomplishments that you have are nothing to laugh at, you had even saved Todoroki from his self-doubt and his idea of using a handicap of his powers." Izuku turned away, obviously, he didn't believe anything that his idol was selling. Toshinori sighed, "Kid, look at me." Reluctantly, Izuku turned his head towards the skinny man, "Do you remember that time where you attempted to save young Bakugo from that sludge villian?" He nodded. The man leaned against the wall beside Izuku while folding his arms, "Your actions that day were what led me to believe that you should be the next successor, that inspiring bravery, that bursting desire to help a person in need... You know there's a story that we pro heroes often tell, do you know what that is young Midoriya?" He looked at him in confusion but answered his question with a shake of his head, though he didn't seem bothered by the lack of knowledge, instead it seemed to make the man smile more. "They often tell that they have once experienced their bodies moving on their own, in order to help someone in need when no-other could help." Izuku's eyes widened upon hearing this, but what did it mean? Holding a fist in front of his face, the blond man looked out the window as his fist clenched passionately.

"They say that one moment is a sign of their calling to be a hero."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Hey guys, I hope that you have enjoyed the latest chapter of Blood Brothers, I finally got the explanation for Izumi's other quirk out of the way so now the Hosu/ Hero Killer arc will be coming soon and I'm really excited for it and I hope you guys are too.**

 **And if you're all curious, yes, Izuku's outburst is important to the story.**

 **Thanks to StrifeStelar Mizo for your OC, he will definitely be included in the story soon enough.**

 **Any suggestions for OC's in class 3-A can be sent in either the reviews or PM'd to me, I'll take any suggestions that you guys might have.**

 **Thanks for reading**

 **Ignis**


	16. What's in the past is in the past

**Yuuei Sports Stadium**

To be honest, the recovering facility of the sports stadium was beginning to get too familiar for Izumi. He pinched the bridge between his brows and sighed before turning towards Todoroki's unconscious form that lay beside him. These kids just go all out don't they...

Izumi leaned back lazily into his chair as he stared at the endless white ceiling above him. What had happened to the unfortunate hybrid quirk user was the result of Bakugo's "Howitzer Impact" as he had called it, though he had to admit that it was quite the fantastic spectacle to watch. Bright orange and yellow blooming clouds of fire expanding rapidly and consecutively across the entire field of the arena. It was a powerful _area of effect_ technique, though it probably wouldn't be condoned for actual battle unless certain conditions were met, especially since it would likely put nearby civilians in harm's way. Izumi looked back at the still but breathing boy with an unreadable expression.

He didn't blame Todoroki for not using his left side during the fight, even after his fight with Izuku, Todoroki had clearly become indecisive... Of course, it was to be expected, even after years of being exposed to his father's ruthless and relentless nature, it would only be wishful thinking for only a few words to break the walls he's built up during those years... but at least the cracks are now showing through. He continued staring at the ceiling, contemplating what to do next. Placing his hands over his abdomen, Izumi hummed a light tune to himself as he waited for Todoroki's awakening.

The clock ticked after every second passed, Izumi closed his eyes in thought, a deep frown on his face. He felt rather ashamed after leaving that truth bomb about his quirk right in front of Izuku, he could still remember the expression of fear and disgust that masked his face as he read those few words, Izuku hadn't said anything to him since he left the patient room with All Might. It was irresponsible of him to just run away from the truth, just because he was too scared to just admit it to his face... that he was too weak to need that power.

Not exactly the best example of being a good brother, is it?

He sighed loudly before twiddling his thumbs, ' _I should probably do something to make it up to him... but what?_ ' He shifted his head around in an attempt to form an idea within the depths of his mind but to no avail. Shaking his head, Izumi wondered how the other three of their group was doing now, seeing as the tournament is over so they just have to wait for Todoroki to wake up as Recovery girl had deemed him fine to be presented once he recovered and had a good nap.

As he stared off into nothing, Izumi heard a light rustle next to him. His eyes lowered down from the white ceiling to find a confused Todoroki looking back at him questioningly.

"Where am I?"

Izumi turned his head to look at the small clock that hung just above the door frame.

i _t was 2:30..._

Izumi proceeded to explain the situation to Todoroki "Well, you're in the patient's room for now but Recovery Girl said that you're good to go once you wake up." He nodded in understanding as he brought up his left hand to look at it, a frown present on his face. Izumi leaned forward, "Are you okay, Shoto?" The white and red haired boy looked back at him with an apathetic expression before a slight smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he nodded in thanks, "Yeah, I'm alright." The amber-eyed boy beside him smiled before nodding back, "That's good." Izumi helped Todoroki off the bed and into his newly issued tracksuit, as they finished preparing Todoroki, Izumi alerted the teachers that Todoroki was in good condition to finish the placing ceremony of the event as the two made their way to the central stage for the finale of the Sports Festival.

Todoroki followed behind Izumi as they walked through the long hollow corridor, a blinding bright light at the very end.

"Hey... can I ask you for a favor?" Todoroki asked. Izumi turned his head back with an eyebrow raised, it wasn't like Todoroki to ask him for something out of the blue, so he decided that he might as well hear what the quiet student had to say.

"Sure, what is it?"

He seemed to fidget around a bit as his eyes stayed stationed to the ground below them, Izumi wondered what would put the normally calm boy on edge.

"Well..."

* * *

 **Todoroki Household**

Todoroki slid his foot in his usual flawless white sneakers, sitting on the entrance ledge to tie his laces. The Todoroki family lived in a large traditional Japanese themed house with Enji, Fuyumi and Shoto himself as it's residential occupants, though Enji had come home a few moments ago with Shoto, he was suddenly called to duty as there was an attack on a nearby facility that required his immediate assistance. Their older brother Natsuo meanwhile had lived in a studio apartment with his classmates in his local college on the edge of the city, leaving only Shoto and Fuyumi currently in the house at the moment.

As he finished the final knots of his shoes, Todoroki's phone buzzed to life beside him. Picking it up, he read the message that was sent to him before replying back soon after.

 _Iwaizumi: I'm outside your house, do you want me to come in? :l_

 _Shoto: I'm right at the doorstep of my house but do whatever you please._

 _Iwaizumi: Well ok then, I'll see you soon._

Todoroki stood up and patted himself off, he wore a casual set of clothes for this particular event, consisting of a simple white t-shirt, grey jeans, and a navy blue jacket. He sighed, this was going to be something that would affect how he lived the rest of his life, he could feel it. Light footsteps were heard from the hallway across from him as a familiar mop of white hair with red streaks greeted him with a curious expression.

"Where are you going Shoto?" Shoto's sister, Fuyumi inquired. She wore a collared white shirt and blue jeans with a large pink sweater to top it all off. He stood up before fastening his bag to his back and patting himself on.

"I'm going to visit mom in the hospital." He replied simply, she perked up slightly as her curiosity peaked. "Huh? But why are you going now of all times, you haven't come to see her since... well, _you know what_ happened." She asked interest rather than accusation. He looked to the floor with a thoughtful expression.

"... I'm... not too sure..." She tilted her head to the side dumbfounded as she could only reply with "Eh?" Shoto shrugged before walking closer to the door.

"B-but shouldn't you tell dad that you're going? Do you even know where it is?" He turned halfway to face her, his hand on the door. "Don't worry about dad, a friend has that covered... and-" A light knock was heard on the wooden door, Shoto turned back to slide it open, revealing a relatively tall student with slightly messy black and green hair. "Ah, Todoroki, are you ready to..." He paused upon setting his sights on Fuyumi who looked back at him with the same amount of surprise. Iwaizumi Midoriya stood there in front of them, he was wearing a set of clothes similar to Shoto with a plain white t-shirt with a casual style black blazer on top as well as black joggers accompanied with matching sneakers. Walking to stand beside him, Shoto held one arm out to Izumi as if presenting him to an audience. "He's going to bring me there." The amber-eyed student rubbed the back of his head sheepishly while waving his hand awkwardly "H-hi, Fuyumi... long time no see." She put on a just as awkward smile as she waved back at him. Sensing the awkward tension in the air, Shoto turned to leave. "I'll be waiting at the front gate, please be quick about it Midoriya..."

"W-wait..." Izumi tried to argue but Shoto had already left, leaving only the two awkward young adults looking away from each other.

Izumi was the first to speak, "So... um, how have you been, Fuyumi?" She smiled shakily before adjusting her red glasses, shrugging lightly, "I've been so and so... learning to be a teacher has been kind of rough, my first few classes have involved a lot of undisciplined rascals." Izumi chuckled, "Is that so? Well, don't worry I think you'll do just fine." She blushed lightly at his words of encouragement before twiddling her thumbs nervously, "So how have _you_ been, Iwaizumi?" He sighed with a wide goofy grin on his face, "It's been alright, schools going well and Izuku managed to get into the top eight in the tournament which was pretty incredible." She gasped at the mention of his brother as her hand hovered over her mouth, "Ah, don't tell me that the kid that fought Shoto was your brother, Izumi?" He nodded sheepishly, "Yeah..." Her expression seemed to be even more shocked and slightly fearful for his health "My god, he broke like every single one of his fingers, is he okay? I thought you said that he was incredibly timid and shy!"

He shrugged "It's as much a mystery for you as it is for me but he's perfectly fine. I think that the Hero course in Yuuei is doing a lot of favors for him, he's grown up to be quite an aspiring and fearless Hero, perhaps it's just because that he's within such close proximity to All Might that it had just rubbed off of him." He joked, eliciting a giggle from the girl in front of him as well. "Heheh, I had heard that he was quite the big All Might fan, I'm not too sure about how father would take that though..." He smiled, "You don't have to worry about that, they've already had a nice talk... well without the nice bit." She gasped in surprise, "R-really? What did they talk about?" Izumi looked back at Todoroki, who was leaning against the pillar of their front gate wistfully looking up at the sky. "Well, Endeavour had wanted to make Izuku provoke Shoto into using his left side." Fuyumi reeled back in shock and slight disgust, she had known about her brother's treatment from their father which sickened all of them. They were lucky that they weren't considered _perfect_ , though Enji was still considered to be one hell of a strict and merciless man. Unfortunately, Shoto was the one to receive the title of being his successor. "S-so he agreed? He did make him use father's quirk after all." She reasoned. Izumi shook his head with a light expression on his face. "I wouldn't say that." She tilted her head in confusion. "What do you mean?"

He shook his head, "I'll tell you about it later, I don't want to keep Shoto waiting." She seemed slightly disappointed but she understood that it would likely have been a long story. Fuyumi nodded in understanding, "Okay then, but I'll hold you to that!" She exclaimed causing Izumi to chuckle lightly, nodding. As he turned to leave, Fuyumi outstretched her hands towards him. "Wait, Izumi!" He turned back curiously to find her fidgeting lightly. "Izumi, I..." Something seemed to be eating at her but he seemed to understand what she was trying to say. Sighing, he walked towards the fidgeting girl before enveloping Fuyumi in a warm embrace, eliciting a small squeak from the girl. She was shocked at first but soon reciprocated, wrapping her slender arms around his back and leaning her head on his shoulder.

She forgot how good this felt... she missed this, being able to hug him like this... to call Izumi _hers_... but she let her chance slip away... and now it was too late.

"Fuyumi, you don't need to apologize for what happened then..." He whispered as he stepped back, maintaining eye contact. "I'm fine now, it's in the past... so please, let's... just forget about it, okay?" She smiled sadly before reluctantly nodding in agreement, she stepped forward to hug him again as the two stood there for a good while. After their little reconciliation moment, he waved back to Fuyumi as they said their goodbyes. Upon watching as the two walk off, the white-haired girl couldn't help but feel her heart squeeze painfully as she held her hand over her chest.

"Izumi... Even if you don't want me to say it, I'm sorry for the pain that I had caused you..." She whispered as she closed the door gently, cutting her off from the rest of the world.

* * *

"So what did you two talk about?" Izumi shrugged lightly, burying his hands in his jacket's pockets. "Just some catch-up and talk about recent events." Todoroki sighed, "You don't hold anything against my sister, do you?" Izumi looked back at him with an empathetic look on his face.

"Of course I don't, I never blamed her for what happened." Todoroki nodded in understanding and took his word for it, he trusted him enough to grant him that, "I see, that's good to know..."

The two walked on in silence as they passed a great variety of people along their way, most of which were fans of Todoroki and his performance in the sports festival. Izumi chuckled lightly, "You seem to be quite popular lately?" He joked, "I suppose..." He said offhandedly. His eyes lifted up as the two stood in front of the front gates of a large facility with several layers and levels of glass and concrete. The hybrid quirk user turned his head towards Izumi beside him before pointing in the direction of the building in front of them. "Is this it?" He inquired, Izumi nodded in response. "Yep, this is where I often meet with your mother." Todoroki stared at the large building with a distant gaze, his mind traveled back to that horrible memory that had given him the burn scar that had haunted his dreams for a long time. The sound of the piping kettle steaming, the terrified voice of her mother... He couldn't help but wonder if it would be any different. A supportive hand was placed on his shoulder, snapping him awake as Izumi gave him a concerned look with a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, I'm sure she'd be glad to see you again." He looked to the floor silently in thought.

"... Ever since that day, I had always thought that my presence would only put pressure on Mom... So I never went to visit her... I'm sure she continues to be bound by me... by dad..." Izumi sighed, placing his arm back to his side. "I can't really fault you for thinking that way seeing as how young you were when it happened, but she has been given time to heal." He looked up to face Izumi who gave him a small smile. "Just... be yourself, I'm sure she'll be more than happy so see you." Todoroki nodded as the two proceeded to walk into the psychiatric ward.

The atmosphere was oddly calming as it buzzed with life, many faces of different ages sat and talked with one another. Todoroki had always presumed that the people in the ward were crazed and dangerous but he was quickly proven wrong as he saw the happy smiles on all of their faces, causing him to smile just a little as well. The two walked over to the counter, where they applied to schedule a visit with Rei Todoroki, seeing as he needed to fill out a form just for security purposes, Izumi asked his companion to wait for him in the main lobby.

Finding a comfortable seat near the corner of the entrance, Todoroki sat down and waited patiently for Izumi's return. He found his gaze had wandered to the children playing outside in the small green field, playing with a football. He found the sight to be bittersweet as he could remember the sight of his three siblings playing outside their house.

His mind wandered to a certain child in their family, one who had run away while they were still young. He could only wonder where he was today... The siblings had made it a rule to not mention their brother's name as when their father would overhear the name of the runaway child... well let's not talk about it, shall we?

Footsteps were heard approaching him, his eyes opened in expectancy of the appearance of Izumi but instead found a middle-aged man who wore an oversized coat, topped off with a brown hat with black hair poking out from underneath. "What's a young fellow like you doing here, young man?" The man asked, he didn't appear to know him as of his method of using a general term for a youth like him, Todoroki decided to humor him.

"I'm here to visit my mother." He replied simply, he responded simply in kind. "I see, is it your first time here?" Todoroki nodded, "Yeah, I... wasn't sure if she wanted to see me, since I'm... well, _his_ son." He nodded in understanding before taking a seat next to him. "It sounds like you've had a rough life, though it was quite easy to tell from how you fought in the sports festival, my friend." He raised his eyebrows slightly. "You saw me?" He chuckled lightly before nodding, "Everybody here did, though I suppose that for a more quiet fellow like you that you're lucky that the children are playing outside, heheheh." He nodded in agreement, he wasn't exactly knowledgeable on how to handle children as he wasn't the most excitable person around, Fuyumi or Izumi were probably better candidates for such a task.

The man smiled sadly, "It's a shame, so many of these children aspire to be heroes like you but they have special... circumstances that prevent them from being the heroes they had always dreamed of being..." He turned to face Todoroki, his surprisingly familiar empathetic warm orange eyes came into view. "Even if that quirk of yours is something that you despise, it's still a gift made to save people... that's an important value that many "pro heroes" have forgotten in the pursuit of fame and power." Todoroki's father, Endeavour, came in the forefront of his mind. He knew that he was relentless in the pursuit of power, he didn't care for much else as his existence was one of the many proofs of that... though at the same time, he had proved on multiple occasions that he would do his absolute best to save the citizens from harm, he powered through every situation to settle the fight quickly, perhaps that was why he was ranked so high...

"Tell me, young man, do you want to be a hero?" He asked.

The seemingly out of no-where question hung in the air, but it's significance created a tense atmosphere between the two although the answer he had decided then was clear.

 _It's okay to be what you want to be, Shoto._

 _You don't have to be a prisoner of your own blood._

 _It's your power, not his!_

 _I want to be a hero too..._

"Yes, I do. I want to be able to use this power I have inherited, no matter how much I hate it, to save people, and... I want to be able to save my mother from this place. She deserves to live a life free from the shackles made from my father." The man smiled warmly before standing up, "I see..." Todoroki looked at him curiously as he tipped his at in front of him. "Well, I believe it's my time to go, your friend over there appears to have finished writing up your forms." He turned around, "I wish you good luck on your quest, young man."

Todoroki stood up, his hand outstretched, "Wait!" The man stopped in his tracks, he turned his head curiously.

"Yes?"

"... What's your name?" He paused for a moment as he appeared to be contemplating something before he decided to humor him as he did for him.

"Call me Hisashi." Todoroki nodded.

"Then... thank you, Hisashi."

He smiled, "You'll go far with that attitude of your's boy. Keep your ideals close to your heart." Was all he said before he vanished into the crowd, an interesting man indeed. Izumi came back with a smile on his face, "We're good to go... Todoroki?" The older student curiously looked at the hybrid quirk user with a worried expression. He blinked out of his small trance before nodding in affirmation to his question, "Ah, yeah..."

"..."

"..."

The two stood there unmoving, Todoroki seemed to be stuck in place, his expression deep in thought.

Izumi started to feel slightly uncomfortable.

"... So, do you want to go now?"

"... Sure."

"... Okay then."

After the two finished their lengthy deliberation of silence, the two made their way up to the third level of the building, making no conversation between them. Shoto at least deserved the courtesy to think about how to approach his mother, and he had every right not to visit this place... but the fact that he had asked him to bring the boy to visit the place that he had dreaded meant that he was growing up, it made Izumi happy and it would most definitely make Rei happy as well.

"Number 315..." Todoroki muttered under his breath as his eyes scanned the lined up room numbers along the dimly lit corridors. This part of the building held an eerie quiet to it, yet it also held a sense of calm which Todoroki couldn't begin to describe... but he did feel that it suited his mother. She remembered that she was quiet and calm, she had always preferred the cold and relatively quiet spaces, it was a wonder that she was able to deal with the abusive one-sided marriage she had with her husband, Enji, for such a long time. Though he supposed that it was something he could have the opportunity to ask in the future, although Izumi had mentioned that it wouldn't be wise to mention him now.

The two finally found their room.

No. 315 - Rei Todoroki

Todoroki reached out to grab the steel bar that protruded from the white door but his hand faltered as they reeled back slightly upon seeing the serene form of his mother through the single panel of the doorframe, sitting calmly and quietly, peering out the window beside her as a warm light bathed the room momentarily before cooling down to its usual blue hue. It was a beautiful sight, something that he felt was meant to be left alone... but he needed to do this, he couldn't back down now, he made a promise to himself. Shoto felt a comforting hand on his shoulder, turning, he found Izumi smiling gently. "I'm right behind you... She'll be happy to see you, I promise." He nodded, albeit hesitantly but proceeded to slide open the door slowly.

Rei sat in the room silently on a simple blue stool wearing a standard issued baby blue patient's garb. Her beautiful white hair hung loosely on her shoulders as she sat with her hands folded over her lap. Izumi closed the door quietly behind her as Shoto took a treading step forward, the first word that entered his mind was the one to spark the reconciliation between them.

"Mother..."

Rei perked up slightly at the mention of her name, she turned around slowly, Todoroki's memories blurred with reality as he could only imagine the same frightening face that haunted him for years.

Only to be met with an expression of blissful surprise from his mother as she held a hand lightly over her mouth.

"... Shoto?"

The two stayed there, unmoving, their gazes held firmly and locked until Shoto gathered the courage to take the first step forward.

"Mom... I..." He found his arms wrapping around his mother's slim form, enveloping her in a warm hug. At least she seemed physically healthy so it relieved him a great deal that she was recovering, even if it was just a bit, even if her mind was still broken... he would help her, he would do anything to help his mother and nobody would be able to stop him from doing so, especially his father.

"My dear son..." She returned the embrace gratefully as her chin rested on top of Shoto's shoulder, a small tear forming on the edge of her eyes.

"...I missed you, so much."

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **Hey guys, I hope you like the new chapter! (I finally got it done! ;P)**

 **Thank you Jadegem02 for your OC, I'll be sure to put her to good use.**

 **And yes, Izumi's and Fuyumi's relationship will be put into more context at a later date, but I think that it'll be quite interesting, so I hope you guys look forward to that!**

 **Please let me know if there is anything that needs to be fixed or if there is anything that could be improved upon, criticism is always welcomed.**

 **I don't really have anything else to say for now, so as always, t** **hanks for reading.**

 **Ignis**


	17. What's next?

**Hey guys, A new chapter is finally up Yay!**

 **Sorry that it's taking a really long time to update the old chapters (I've only done six by now) but I think that this chapter (and possibly the next few) are safe to continue so while I do recommend re-reading the updated chapters, I'm still going to be working on updating the rest of them so I'd think that my progress is going to be slower but hey, what can ya do?**

 **Anyways, I hope this chapter makes up for it! I think it's my record for longest chapter yet (even if the class bio takes up around 1/3 or 1/2 of the chapter)**

* * *

First of all, I'd like to introduce you guys to the cast of class 3-A (for now as I plan on possibly adding some more characters later), thanks to all who have submitted OCs to me.

And to note, there are a lot of _very/heavily_ inspired characters in this list (cuz I'm not very original) but I'm very proud of the ones which are entirely original (or at least I think so...)

Let's have a quick rundown, shall we? (Though this part will serve as a sort of reference section so I don't have to explain it on the way, there's also the fact that it's really long and I'm tired now...)

\- Iwaizumi Midoriya - Raijin

Quirk: Electrokinesis + Will of Fire - Both his quirks were inherited from both his mother and father, though his _Will of Fire_ quirk had only been unlocked upon witnessing his father's death.

His _Electrokinesis_ quirk allows him to control a mass of negatively charged electrons at will as well as being capable of materializing simple objects in a crystallized form such as his arrows, though the time limit to maintain its physical shape without direct contact is less than a few seconds. He is also capable of creating an electric and magnetic field in which he is also granted the ability to move lightweight objects to a degree and heavier ones with much more difficulty. Activating this quirk requires that control causes heavy stress and stamina if he is not careful and can drain him out quickly if he overexerts himself, though he can also store electricity into his body like a vault to be used later through various means. While he cannot control electrical pulses within a person's body due to it being tied with a person's soul, he is capable of paralyzing a foe through incapacitation or numbing their body to the point of total restraint.

His _W_ _ill of fire_ quirk (as I decided to call it) is a primarily fire-based elemental quirk, though he has no control over any flames that aren't generated from his own body. His quirk acts with the rules of a tradeoff system in which he can create flames of higher intensity or scale by exchanging body heat at it's base core, though there are also other methods to increase its strength further such as using his own soul energy as the intensity of his emotions can bring forth unlimited potential, though this can result in heavy stress, heavy effects of his physical body, incapacitation, shortening of his lifespan and potentially death. Continuing with the tradeoff system, it can be noted that through excessive use, he has shown remarkable regenerative abilities as well as increased durability at the cost of suffering its aftereffects multiple times. While the process of using his lifeforce to fuel his attack power, negative emotions can be used to easily cross that bridge without much pain.

Features: Iwaizumi Midoriya is slightly above average height as he stands at around 178 - 180 cm with a toned but skinny form. He has pale skin and amber orange eyes, a trait inherited from his father. He also has messy black hair with green tips at the edges much like his brother Izuku, though his hair is slightly more controlled and tame than his brother's. He is often described as the typical role model student when it comes to wearing a uniform correctly. Casual wear goes along the line of fashionable but prefers more freedom in movement such as using sneakers and loose long-sleeved shirts and comfortable joggers if he goes out.

Personality: Iwaizumi is often considered to be a compassionate, intelligent and considerate person, an example being his shortened name "Izumi" as an easier way for people to remember him by. As he is an academical bookworm, Izumi often finds himself studying or partaking in some particular hobbies such as drawing, reading and writing whenever he isn't hanging out with his friends or his energetic girlfriend Nejire Hado. While he may be considered to be introverted, he has no problems communicating with people and decides to follow rather than lead, though he is plenty capable when the situation calls for it. Izumi also has a very cheerful but calm personality around his friends and acquaintances which in turn makes him well liked amongst his peers. He's not one to boast about his abilities but acts with discretion and thought unless someone precious to him is on the line. His family and Nejire especially causes him to become very protective of their wellbeing and will do everything in his power to keep them safe. Compassion is a trait that he had learned to embrace since Izuku's misfortune of missing out on being something more than just Izuku Midoriya, he is said to be "one of the best brothers I could ever have." by Izuku himself, which then, in turn, helps him relate to other people's pain, especially since the loss of his father. Izumi is a hard worker who supports the hero's ideals of creating a better future for humanity, one step at a time.

Despite this, he can act very different in battle. This can be contributed to past events which had caused him trauma such as his first encounter with All for one as well as the betrayal of his childhood friend as well as his Will of Fire quirk easily allowing him to tap into the temptations of increased power, leading him into a more crazed and sadistic state. Despite this, he keeps a level head at all times, though during this state, he acts coldly with little remorse and isn't afraid to send any imposing threats to the hospital if they mean to do harm to those he cares about. Izumi had long tried to suppress it but now simply embraces it and works towards doing his best to control it the best he can.

\- Mirio Togata - Lemillion

Quirk: Permeation - Mirio's quirk makes for his body to enter a permeable state in which his body loses all mass, which, in turn, allows him to pass through solid objects while maintaining his body's structure even when he passes through objects. Mirio is capable of permeating parts of his body at a time, though permeating his entire body causes any clothes that are not constructed of his DNA to fall to the floor, leaving him in an exposed state. In his permeated form, Mirio is unable to see as his body functions are non-functional during this state, this also means that he is not able to breathe as his lungs are technically not present which is a dangerous trait in itself. This then leads into the theory that his body's structure is held together through sheer willpower and his soul alone, binding his body to his mind to be called on when he returns to the realm of materialism.

It should also be of note that when he exits permeation mode as a part of his body is located within a solid object in which his body overlaps with the object's own matter, a weird phenomena that can only be explained as universal mumbo jumbo causes his entire body to be ejected as a foreign identity into the direction his body's core is facing vertically through his head. Fortunately, he is immediately slowed down once he reaches a sufficient distance away from the object he had travelled from which can be guised as teleportation.

Features: Mirio is a tall and muscular golden blond that stands at 181 cm. He has short cropped hair, though the front of his hair stands tall as a cowlick crown. Though he is often noted to have a comically plain face, the various abrasions and scars across his arms and body show that he is more than just a goofy looking guy. He generally prefers to avoid wearing the school blazer as it takes too long to get it back on his body if he were to use his permeation quirk. In casual wear, he typically just wears whatever he feels like, whether it be a collared short-sleeved shirt and jeans or a regular t-shirt and shorts, he generally prefers to keep things light. While he likes short-sleeved shirts, he does understand that his health is an important aspect that he needs to take care of and wears a jacket if he needs to.

Personality: Mirio comes across as goofy and energetic, with some peculiar habits. He is almost always smiling and, though optimistic, he does not let his ideals blind him, and is always looking for ways to improve his skills. He is very devoted to becoming a hero and is the top candidate for No. 1 Hero after he graduates, even surpassing many of the pros. Despite his lacking academical performance, he is extremely dedicated to the ways of being a hero and has worked many long and hard hours to perfect the use of his Quirk for combat, and thus is ranked among the top three students at Yuuei. His hero name, "Lemillion", comes from his desire to rescue a million people, inspired by All Might's debut. Mirio has developed a good understanding of the protocols and actions that a hero must be able to do in various situations. He is able to separate himself from his emotions in order to see the bigger picture. He understands when he has to go against what he feels is right in order to act for the greater good. He is very talkative and often moves his hands in an erratic and enthusiastic manner in a similar fashion to Tenya Iida. He cares about his friends, especially Tamaki Amajiki who he has shared his childhood with and likes to talk with them often.

\- Nejire Hado - Nejire Chan

Quirk: Wave motion - her quirk wave motion converts her vitality into a spiral like shockwaves that can be used in physical measures for both offence and defence. Using her quirk on different objects such as humans and inanimate objects have varying effects; from acting as a physical wave of energy, her shockwaves can disrupt a person's electric signals to temporarily paralyze her opponents. Though it drains her stamina to use her quirk, she has shown good control in measuring different types of outputs in terms of size and power of her shockwaves, she has also shown the ability to levitate and fly with the use of her quirk as it works in a force field type of manner. She has also started development of utilizing the vitality aspect of her quirk in preparation to play as a medic in a scene which allows her to send electrical pulses through a person's body like a defibrillator though she is able to enter the mind space of the person's subconscious when doing so as a more likely chance at cooperation, as well as stimulating the brain to increase healing rate.

Features: Nejire has a light and pale complexion with big sky blue eyes and a slender physique. She has extremely long light blue hair that reaches all the way down to her legs and twists around itself at the waist area with two locks dangling beside her face in a similar fashion to Uraraka Ochako. She always wears a bright smile on her face whenever she is around her friends and strangers alike. She often prefers to wear a waistcoat over her uniform. She stands at around 164 cm. In casual wear, she typically likes to wear anything she feels like but has a good taste in fashion as one of her best friends Yuyu Haya had introduced her into the world of beauty contests, she also keeps a matching bracelet to symbolise their friendship. Though to be fair, most people just say that she pretty much looks good in anything.

Personality: Nejire is said to be talkative and endlessly curious, showing interest in other people's unique physical features as well as quirks and being easily distracted by them. Due to this, Nejire can often come across as very blunt, asking a barrage of rather invasive or off-putting questions that may or may not provoke offence, though she does take care not to deliberately offend someone on purpose. She is often described as an affectionate person and a "free spirit," like a little girl who has a genuine and earnest passion for learning new and strange things and isn't afraid to speak her mind or show how she feels around people. Due to this, she insisted that Izumi use terms of endearment when referring to her casually, though the two were perfectly fine to it, it took a while before their classmates stopped teasing the two about how sappy it was. She is mentioned to act like a kindergartner due to her childish glee. She is very enthusiastic, affable and cheery, and is always seen moving around. Thanks to her inquisitive and chatty demeanour, she is a notably smart and level-headed individual during decisive moments of a battle as her ability to dispatch targets, especially large ones has been rated one of the top heroes of all Japan. Nejire is an independent person as she mostly grew up by herself as her parents are often away on business trips elsewhere but keep in touch with her, through this, she works hard and diligently so they can be proud of her when they visit her from time to time.

\- Tamaki Amajiki - Sun Eater

Quirk: Manifestation - Tamaki's quirk manifestation is an extremely flexible quirk that had earned him recognition for it alone. By consuming any specific item, his body is able to produce a manifestation of whatever he eats. This quirk is not limited to that of just plants and animals as it has been recorded that he can also produce materialistic objects, though those are a lot tougher on his stomach. The proficiency of his abilities also depends on how much he eats of a specific category, an example is his octopus fingers that appear longer and more powerful the more takoyaki he eats. He has also shown that he is capable of combining his manifestations into hybrid weapons, furthering the flexibility of his arsenal. It also appears that any damage or removal of his manifestations has no permanent damage to his actual body.

Features: Tamaki has dark, messy hair that spikes up on the back of his head but straightens at the front and sides. He is shown to possess pointy ears and is frequently seen slouching, though he has a toned but thin frame. He wears the standard school uniform of Yuuei. but in a slovenly way. He stands at about 177 cm. In casual wear, he generally prefers to wear large clothing and jackets for the purpose of his quirk but wears whatever he feels like, despite heavily contemplating on what he should wear and what people would think if he did decide on a certain outfit.

Personality: Tamaki is noted to be very shy since he was a little kid. He often gets anxious when speaking to a large audience, and has developed a habit of facing away from curious eyes and lean into a wall if he is unable to speak under stressful situations or if he feels unable to converse with someone face on. He seems to be rather socially awkward around strangers, even if they are students of Yuuei or previous acquaintances. He also lacks confidence in his own abilities and has low self-esteem, though this is most likely due to his rather negative mentality due to the interesting nature of his quirk. It is said that while his physical abilities are above a professional Hero's level, as well as the fact that his Quirk is extremely powerful, his mentality holds him back from reaching his true potential. He also seems to also be rather sensitive about many things that involve himself, even to the point of becoming upset when a thug he is fighting insults also seeks confirmation when he had done a task, such as incapacitating a thug, indicating that he cannot recognize his own achievements.

However, he is not without his more stern beliefs, which he will uphold and vocalize. He acts with the ideals and mindset of a hero as saving people comes first. He has also shown a great deal of friendship with Mirio himself, understanding the struggles that he has gone through to make his Quirk as effective as it is. He admires Mirio for his persistence and remembers his courage whenever he himself is in a stressful or dangerous situation. Though he has a small friend group which included himself, Mirio, Nejire and Izumi, he has found himself enjoying their company as he slowly gains more confident to make sure that their trust is well placed.

\- Enmu Murasaki - Shadow Mist

Quirk: Purple haze - Enmu has a special gland in his body which can secrete a type of liquid from his sweat pores, this liquid turns into a gaseous state as soon as it makes contact with the atmosphere. This substance is very thick and is purple in colour, making it look like a purple fog. This fog contains particles which, if inhaled, can cause hallucinations by sending controlled electrical pulses to the brain, it can also hypnotize a person, and if inhaled in large amounts for a long period of time and has the potential to knock out a person for as long as 3 days. Enmu can also control the force, the amount, and the location from which the fog would come out, which he can use to propel himself up or forward, to blow back enemies and if he has enough control, he is also shown to be capable of forming material objects such as bullets from the fog. He alone is immune to the hallucinations caused by his quirk. Though the fog generally covers a wide area, so his allies might suffer the same fate as his opponents. There is also a limit to how much liquid can be secreted, the denser the fog, the shorter the limit. If he tries to push past his limits, his body will give out its immunity walls, enabling him to suffer from hallucinations.

Features: Enmu has messy purple hair which sticks out and fades to black towards the tip. He has bangs reaching just below his eye. He has slanted eyes, with yellow irises. He has a thin frame and wears the standard uniform in a slovenly way. In casual wear, he likely wears a more simple style of clothing, but ensures that he has freedom in the use of his quirk.

Personality: He is often described to be lazy with a habit of sleeping during class. He is an apathetic and calm person and he never appears to really put any effort towards anything unless its absolutely necessary or he is forced to; thus coming off as sluggard. Because of his attitude, he generally prefers to avoid conversations with people much and has little friends apart from his classmates. On the other hand, he is shown to be surprisingly smart and clever, having a brilliant tactical skills which allow him to quickly assess the opponent's quirk and fighting styles and find a way to counter them, but due to his habits of overthinking and indecisiveness, he hesitates to make conclusions and he is afraid it would be wrong. In spite of his laziness, he is actually a kind person who often helps others, and cares for his friends, however little they may be and rarely does things for himself.

\- Kiyoku Sasayaki - Blackout

Quirk: Shadow summons - This quirk allows her to create shadow constructs from people or object's shadows within a 75-meter radius. The outcome or shape of a shadow, as well as its capabilities, depending on what the shadow was recreated from, such as creating pillars from a skyscraper's shadow or creating a silhouette, shadow-like clones from her own shadow. Though she is able to manipulate the size of shadows through intense concentration and focus. Though shadow clones of people are not able to utilize their quirks and can only act as independent fighters which she can order around. She has also proven able to become a shadow herself and move in the darkness with ease, though this is only possible if she is standing on a shadow herself as she is not able to pass through sun-filled zones in her shadow state.

Features: Kiyoku has pale light blue eyes, a shaded grey coloured skin and short messy starch white hair. She wears the standard Yuuei uniform neatly and stands at 168 cm. In casual wear, Kiyoku likes wearing clothing items with a black aesthetic that helps with her shaded colour scheme and is capable of using her quirk with most types of clothing choices she picks, though her general preferences lie in a mild emo punk genre.

Personality: Kiyoku is a rather quiet individual as most of the activities she partakes in are kept to herself and her social life is kept as mostly a mystery. She isn't much of a talker but when she does, it's more direct and cold. She is considered to be a watcher and follower type person, though her skills in combat are nothing to scoff at as it blends in nicely with her mysterious aura. Though she holds her values as a hero in high regard, she can often be quite brutal with the punishments she deals to people like thugs and criminals, though she never goes past incapacitation and prefers to end things quickly with grace like a ninja.

\- Runa Okami - Okami

Quirk: Wolf underneath the moon - The wolf version of Tsuyu's frog form but with more to it. She is very strong and fast, her senses are dialled up to eleven which includes her sense of smell, sight and hearing. She has also shown the ability to see well in the dark. As her quirks name suggests, her abilities are affected by the state of the moon. At different phases of the moon, she has varying levels of enhanced strength and senses. During a full moon in the day or night. During her maxed power phase, she takes on a temporary transformation change into a large and powerful snow wolf, reaching the peak of all her senses but often has to face the struggle of keeping her primal instincts in check form hurting her friends.

Features: She has lightly elongated canines, sapphire blue eyes and red-rimmed glasses perched upon her human-like nose. She also has short silver hair that fades to brown toward the ends and goes from straight to curly at the ends that cut off before her shoulders. It should also be of note that she looks very much like a human during the day but can turn into an adult snow wolf during the night as the primal side of her gains more power and influence over her mind. She stands at 170 cm. Her casual wear falls into the category of normal clothing with quirky images on the front of her shirt which she finds amusing.

Personality: Her face is very expressive of her emotions but she doesn't speak out with them very often. She is noted to be very kind and compassionate, if not quiet around her friends and families and she can get from noticeably upset to full-on furious when someone threatens or makes fun/ light of those close to her, herself or others goals. She is a voice of reason as she constantly battles her primal side within her, making her confident in her ideals. She is often described as a whole new person when tapping into her more primal side but is relatively easy to calm down if a friend's presence is close by, giving her a cause to control herself. Despite this, she takes extra caution to take off her glasses during this stage as it was a special gift from her parents, the reason for this is still unknown and appears to be that the reason is only meant for her to know.

\- Aki Akiyama - Pyre Queen

Quirk: Heatwaves - Her quirk allows her to summon heat waves of varying temperatures and strengths. Akiyama primarily controls these "waves" through the use of her hands and arms as the physical manifestation of the waves follow a cloth or string-like appearance in which she is able to change the temperature contained within the heat waves as a sort of trap system. Though she is also capable of creating much more malleable, solid and dense waves that act more like whips when needed in close to midrange combat, though her quirk generally prefers that she stay on the edge of the field. Though expanding heat waves past her usual limit puts a lot of strain on her arms as well as making her body temperature rise dramatically as the wave's temperature regulation requires that it be constantly kept in check or she could potentially release a dangerous blast of heat if it were to compile too much.

Features: Akiyama's most noticeable trait is the varying shades of her scarlet hair which even included some streaks of purple and orange in the mix like a flame. She has bright yellow eyes which burn like the morning sun and can glow when she gets noticeably upset or angry. She stands at 171cm and wears the usual Yuuei uniform in a slovenly way, wishing to expose as much skin as the school allowed for her charm for the sake of not overheating with her quirk instead of being entirely based on appeal. She also wears many trinkets and bracelets around her arms and ankles. For casual wear, she is generally stylish in the choice of either completely tomboyish or girly as she doesn't have a preference over either so she just decides to choose one at random for whatever occasions she believes is best but makes sure to keep it light.

Personality: Akiyama is an extremely cheery, optimistic and most of all flirtatious character in the sense that she finds it rather humorous to gauge the reactions of the boys she meets when she pulls out the flirty card. Though despite this, she is careful not to step into dangerous boundaries and is sure to avoid pressing any matters that would come off more than being annoying as long as she respects and recognizes them for their potential as a hero. While she may come up with random small talk or discussions as well as random arguments, most of her attitude just comes from the desire to talk to people, no matter what they thought of her as she wasn't one to like being alone.

\- Yomo Kobayashi - Terraformer

Quirk: Overgrowth - Yomo's quirk allows him to sprout plant life from the use of his cells as a sort of growth amplifier as well as a controller, giving him natural control over plant life that he has come in contact with or had grown/ planted himself. His quirk is activated through the use of concentrated brain waves, essentially connecting himself with the plant he controls and can suffer damage that said plants receive to a certain degree, though he is able to cut the link off before any major damage is dealt. To be able to establish a link, it is required that he touches the plant or seed on any part of his body, though it requires that it is planted or at least makes contact with soil to utilise his quirk's growth amplifier. His stamina takes a toll depending on what kind of modifications in terms of scale or movements are made as well as how many links he uses at a single time which can vary depending on what type of plants he connects with.

Features: Yomo has straight long pear green hair which is left dangling around at shoulder length but is parted at the front. He is also often seen to wear a black blindfold bandanna as he is unable to see. A common item in his wardrobe is his intricately designed small metal rings on his fingers which he often uses to echolocate and synchronise frenzied plants as well as calming himself down during stressful situations. He stands at around 175 cm and wears his uniform like a normal student, although he may often forget to either do the odd button or forget to tie his tie properly which, fortunately, his classmates are kind enough to help him out. Another peculiar feature he has is his plantlike arm, which had been used to replace his arm when it was decapitated in a previous mission over the years and he has learned to control it through the use of his quirk. For casual wear, Yomo likes wearing a plain t-shirt with cargo pants and black combat boots, and that's practically all he wears unless a certain occasion asks him to do otherwise. He isn't really picky since he can't really see what he's wearing and generally prefers to the same aesthetic.

Personality: Yomo is a rather shy individual, due to the effect of his lack of sight hindering his ability to socialize where he was often made fun of and picked on when he was younger. He was often told as a child to ask others for help but he feels as if it would be better to do it on his own, rather than ask someone to take their time to help him. The few moments in which he resorts to asking a friend is if he is stuck in a large crowd where his hearing is ineffective to discern any objects. He has also learned how to use seismic vibrations to see and is also capable of using trees to determine their location. Yomo is a rather clever individual as he has come up with many unique ways of getting around his disability as well as utilising his quirk efficiently. He finds it hard to trust others but once he can call them a "friend" he tends to be more open and is more comfortable with their presence as he is a typically socially awkward student.

\- Haku Jin - Jin

Quirk: Absolute zero - Jin's quirk allows him to regulate the temperature to absolute zero for the benefits of slowing down the opponent's movement speed, blood flow and electrical pulses from the drop of body temperature, while he remains unfazed by its effects to a certain degree. This is due to the nigh undetectable gasses he releases from his pores which bond with hydro substances immediately within a certain range. He holds control over light hydro substances but is not able to independently move them if they are in a dense liquid state such as water, though Jin is able to freeze water as well as the air around him. The substances in which his gasses bond with multiply rapidly and exerts their own gasses, in turn granting him more control and opportunities to attract more moisture to create solid ice for weaponised attacks in which he is granted freedom in how an ice pillar sprouts. Jin's quirk works best under cloudy, foggy and rainy conditions, where the moisture around him is pure and easily influenced. His quirk can extend to connecting his gasses with nearby clouds to summon a rapid spinning blizzard or tornado if the situation calls for it, though condensing it for an attack requires intense concentration and energy.

Features: Jin sports shoulder-length messy snow white hair which curl slightly at the tips. He is tall, standing at 182 cm and has a lean and toned physique. He is typically seen always wearing a white golden lined scarf around his neck, whether it be in extreme heat or any situation where doing such a thing would make others seem uncomfortable, though he appears to be unaffected by such things. (As unoriginal as I am, Jin is based on Jin from Xenoblade Chronicles 2, cuz I really like him and he deserves a chance to be a hero.) In casual wear, Jin dresses in a stylish and clean manner with a black jacket and jeans, a white or grey-blue shirt underneath being his main aesthetic.

Personality: "Cold" is a term that can be often associated with Jin. However, Jin is not one to be described as snarky or uncaring, instead, he cares a great deal about those he's close to and goes to lengths to protect them when they're in danger. He is calm and fair as he is never seen to be in any sort of panic. Jin generally prefers to be alone to his own thoughts without others bothering him while mostly shutting out the outside world, though he is capable of using electronics to an extent, Jin isn't one to pick up social cues so he usually just stays out of any normal conversation. He has a great deal of respect for those who can match up to him in a battle as well as those who shine with the qualities of a hero, though he only speaks when it's absolutely necessary. His mere presence, while quiet and powerful leaves his acquaintances with more than just a chill down their spines; his classmates, however, have grown used to this and accept him into their group which is something that he wouldn't admit to them that supporting them means a great deal to him, earning them Jin's seal of approval in his book.

\- Hagane Tsukiyama - Quartz

Quirk: Crystal Expansion - By coming into contact any sort of mineral item, Tsukiyama is able to manipulate and pressurize a mineral substance to instantaneously take root to whatever solid object she throws it at like a seed before releasing grounded crystal pillar shards like a sprout with the effect of varying results depending on what type of minerals was used to an extent. While she is also able to use her quirk on substances like steel, sand and any other objects with traces of crystalline substances, can vary in effectiveness depending on how pure the material is. The pillars of crystals she generates from her quirk are made on a time limit depending on how much concentration the pours into a stone and reverts back to its original shape before flying back to her with the linked attraction she places on it before releasing it like a tether. The maximum size and reach of the pillars are dependent on how much of the substance is available to her, though a stone as big as her thumb can create a large crystal pillar that can match a two storey building at maximum capacity.

Features: Hagane has long shimmering earth brown hair which almost acts like crystals themselves given the way that they shine and the natural straight and stiff tips of her hair (I envisioned it to look like *spoiler* Elma's hair in her true form from XenoblChroniclescles X). She has normally brown eyes, though this can change depending on what kind of substance she is touching with her hands. She as a slim figure with not a very noticeable amount of muscle and stands at around 174 cm tall. She wears her uniform correctly. She also wears a golden necklace with an agate gemstone around her neck as it is her birthstone. In casual wear, she likes to wear a poncho with a dress and skirt along with long boots as her main preference but doesn't mind wearing jeans and a regular shirt.

Personality: Hagane is a very talkative and bubbly student who adores sharing her passion for gemstones and, well stones in general. Her enthusiasm for stones can almost rival that of Mei Hatsumei's love for machinery and "babies". She wanted to be a geologist when she grew up and her family had come from a long line of explorers and famous geologists, thus having her continue the line. She is not one to feel down but is incredibly stubborn on her study of gemstones, even cutting her inspection sessions into class while writing whatever notes she found to be interesting in her books. Her teachers don't mind this as she is very quick to learn and is a very capable student due to the level of detail in her notes.

\- Chikara Kaze - Arc

Quirk: Vector Manipulation/ Kinetic conversion - Kaze's quirk acts as a translucent spherical shield along both of his arms which can absorb large amounts of kinetic energy upon physical impact. His shield - while stronger than that of graphene plates - isn't invincible, though it can slowly gain temporary strength depending on how much energy is stored in it, with the colour of the shield identifying how much power he had absorbed and is capable of being released in blasts of impacts from a physical attack or a beam when a sufficient amount of energy is collected. Kaze is also capable of utilising the energy in other appendages such as his legs for instance, though there is a limit to how much it can take in a single serving as well as how much he can take at it's maximum. He is also capable of creating a large shield that can cover at least himself and a few other people, though doing this takes an incredible amount of energy and causes a massive amount of stress on his body if he was to try and maintain it for too long.

Features: Chikara has normal length raven black hair with a few white streaks running through the front, accompanied by deep lilac-purple eyes. He is tall and quite muscular, standing at around 180 cm. He generally prefers to avoid wearing the blazer of Yuuei's uniform but wears the rest of his outfit neatly. Much like Togata, he likes to keep his clothing light and wears more simple clothing that match well enough together.

Personality: Chikara is a friendly yet challenging person who likes participating in battle with a smile always on his face. He's confident in his abilities yet he isn't one to be particularly rude to those who did not deserve his anger; even then, he is quite controlled in that art by wearing his cheerful personality on his sleeve and can occasionally be dense to some things. He shares a friendly rivalry with Togata Mirio as the two wish to strive to be the world's No. 1 hero but respects him all the same and almost views him like a brother and admires the relationship he has with Tamaki as he wishes to be on good terms with everybody. While he may often act recklessly in certain confrontational situations, he changes dramatically when met with people related to the cause of his family's death, changing into a merciless and cold avenger. The topic itself is enough to put a frown on his face as he has tempered his resolve by reliving the unforgettable experience of his family's death nearly every night, to rid the world of those who do evil and do harm on him as well as his friends.

\- Yuki Monoke - Bushido

Quirk: Susanoo Ghost construct - Yuki's quirk allows her to be enveloped in a ghost-like armour construct which serves as a sort of protection for her. The size of her skeletal guardian can extend to the maximum of around two stories when using only upper half the body. At this current stage, Yuki is unable to unlock the full extent of her quirk, though it is quite powerful on its own as it proves to be a valuable defensive and offensive asset. Her Susanoo's signature weapon is her ghostly buster blade which can equate to about two times its own height at maximum power. She is also capable of adjusting her construct's dimensions to smaller sizes but weakens considerably in defence. She is also capable of covering herself entirely in her construct's aura, though only her top half is considered to be completely protected, while her lower half only has the resistance of her construct without any support bones.

Features: Yuki Monoke is a short girl with messy violet hair. Bags can be often seen under her eyes as she usually seems sleep deprived but keeps on a smile. Yuki stands at 160 cm and wears her uniform sloppily, though she constantly wears anime merchandise accessories on her personnel whenever she leaves her room. Soda stains can often be found on her white shirt but she's too lazy to clean it. However, her cosplay collection is spotless and maintained daily. Casual wear for her moves along the line of matching two different type of aesthetics such as a fashionable skirt, shirt, long boots and then a large trenchcoat or a thick jacket on top.

Personality: Yuki is a Weeaboo; the word alone basically describes her personality. She finds herself to be incredibly lazy when it comes to anything other than an anime or manga and finds herself doodling characters in her books or reading from a mangaka. Despite this, Yuki is an incredibly skilled fighter as she has adapted many styles and forms of combat from her favourite characters she has seen and worked hard on polishing them as a memento in a sort of way when their time has passed. Yuki is friendly to those who know her but acts like a complete introvert most of the time and prefers to stay in her room to watch the next episode of the anime she is binging. She practically went crazy once she found out that she shared the ability of the feared warrior Susanoo like those of the Uchiha clan in Naruto.

\- Hikari Riku - Mythra

Quirk: Photonic manipulation - Hikari's quirk allows her to manipulate and generate photonic atoms for whatever use she desires. Her capabilities extend to creating physical beams or blades of light to strike an enemy or object, this can also lead to the creation of various projectile weaponry but can also form items such as platforms. Hikari can also absorb energy from the sunlight to enhance her abilities both physically and quirk wise. She is also capable of creating mirror illusions of herself by creating solid but fragile reflective walls, though this requires a massive amount of concentration to maintain.

Features: Hikari has long golden hair which falls at her waist. She has emerald green eyes and has a slender physique (the same as Mythra from Xenoblade Chronicles 2) She also wears a white banded golden tiara with an emerald embellished as it was a gift of her family's heritage. Hikari stands at around 172 cm and wears her uniform immaculately clean. In casual wear, she likes to wear a typically snowy white aesthetic with a few slashes of neon green that matches the jewel of her tiara. She likes to wear white dress shirts and light jackets with white heeled boots.

Personality: Hikari comes from a rich family. Due to this, she is well mannered and very intelligible but has a short fuse for things that annoy her. To those she meets, she is stoic and kind but can also act like a total Tsundere when her friends tease her about her things like her love life. Hikari has a strong will and acts defiantly against those who do acts of evil, taking it upon herself to help people in need whenever the chance arises. Hikari, while a social person, often likes to just listen in on their conversations without feeling the need to pitch in unless something goes out of hand. She often spends her time studying or practising her ability to control her quirk as it places a lot of stress on her body as well as the mind, though her endeavours have earned her more freedom and ease with the use of her quirk and she strives to continue forward without looking back. She acts very rationally but is also a sucker for letting her emotions get in the way.

\- Goki Fukutsu - Clay

Quirk: Resilience factor - Fukutsu's quirk allows him to rearrange the molecular structure of an object he touches. Through this, he is able to make an object more resilient or fragile. His quirk is applied through total contact, so he needs to be touching the object he wishes to strengthen or weaken or it's effect won't work. Though, through years of practice and experience, he is able to at least change an object's resilience factor to a degree for a few seconds before his quirk's effect wears off.

Features: Goki has messy chocolate brown hair with an orangish brown bandana tied to his forehead and has eyes the colour of red clay. He often carries with him bracelets that can transform into gauntlets thanks to the support division which help him as his main choice for a weapon and for defence. He is around average height at 177cm and wears his uniform in a neat and normal way. He doesn't really stress too much about his outfit but prefers to put on clothing that's brown, khaki and clay red as he believes embodies his personality.

Personality: Fukutsu's personality aligns with his colour scheme. He's quite down to earth and rational about his choices but is also passionate in his work and duties as a hero with an unbreakable will. He converses freely and can talk to people with ease. He is also able to blend into crowds quite well as he can generally control his demeanour and effectively change faces in terms of emotive expressions depending on what social context or situation he has found himself in. He isn't afraid to take part in an activity and generally has a good outlook on most things. He is quite understanding, though he doesn't really voice too much of his own opinions as he generally prefers to flow along with everyone else unless there is a glaring error which he has to point out.

\- Takumi Sai - Artisan

Quirk: Illustration into reality - Much like the Sai from Naruto, Takumi is able to illustrate images which are able to jump into reality as he sees it fit. His illustrations can scale in size to a certain degree and their durability factors on the amount of ink used. Takumi's illustrations require that he use his own stamina and a sample of his blood smeared onto the drawing to bring them into life, if he goes over his capacity, he knocks himself out and can occasionally get a nosebleed from the sheer concentration required to give it a 3 dimensional model, though they are also capable of changing their dimensions to 2 dimensional and inflict slashes and cuts like a blade.

Features: Takumi has messy black hair with the occasional paint stains stuck on their tips, continuing this, he is almost always seen having some sort of paint splatter on his person, be it on his clothes or face and arms. He has storm grey eyes and stands around 176 cm. He wears his uniform slovenly and is often covered in ink or paint which the teachers at Yuuei have given up on making him clean it up. Takumi often wears paint covered shirts (which are either on purpose or accidental) but also prefers to wear items like cargo pants and boots like Yomo for the added storage of paints, pencils and notebooks to doodle or paint in.

Personality: Takumi has a reserved but colourful personality when attempting to engage in a conversation with his friends. Takumi is actually unable to speak at all, but he is able to write down his messages efficiently, clearly and most of all quickly, making him one of the best options to go to when you need to copy down the essential notes. Takumi is extremely passionate about his artwork and likes to make portraits of his friends as a way of describing how he sees them. Takumi actually discovered his quirk through getting a papercut and accidentally dropping it on a doodle he was making when he was young, so he was led to believe that he was quirkless for quite a while but decided to continue with his passion of the arts before he found out about his unique quirk.

I've decided to redo the Homeroom teacher's quirk for something I think is cooler, I guess.

Homeroom Teacher - Masamune

Quirk: Fujin's Calling - Masamune's quirk is a frontal offensive emitter type quirk that focuses on speed and the manifestation of silver wind arcs. While a wind element quirk at it's base, his wind contains special properties which give it a silver coating to it. Through the use of his katana and scabbard, he is able to unleash a torrent of silver wind to strike a foe with a lot more physical force than your average gust of wind. With his blade, he is able to control slashes of air with unmatched precision at high speeds to encapsulate a foe and create multiple shallow or deep lacerations around a person's body in a mere second. His scabbard is used to pressurize a large gust of wind that strikes as a physical wall that incapacitates enemies through the sheer density and power that it provides. Along with this, he is able to manifest silver clouds of wind that can shape itself into objects he is familiar with such as blades and even copies of himself with the added properties of wind manipulation. Though, using his quirk for too long can do damage to his body and cut off blood and air circulations around his body, leaving some parts numb for a brief period of time before his body returns to working order.

Features: Masamune has medium length slightly curled and messy silver hair, accompanied by sharp golden eyes that radiate tremendous power. He is quite tall and lean but keeps in good shape. Masamune often likes to wear fashionably stylish clothes, but are comfortable enough to move around freely during combat if certain circumstances were to arrive. He stands at around 181 cm tall. He always brings his long black katana with him as it is a precious family heirloom as well as an essential piece to Masamune's fighting style.

Personality: Masamune is a generally laid back guy who loves teasing and joking with his class on certain matters. He's a generally encouraging and actively tries to help his student the best he can with the added curiosity of befriending most of those he meets with a smile on his face, though he also finds himself joking about taking his naps as that habit blossomed from befriending Aizawa when he was first enlisted as a teacher in Yuuei. While he is friendly to people close to him and acquaintances, he can often act with an eerily calm and rational judgement under stressful situations and can always come out with an answer to most solutions as he is extremely perceptive of his surroundings. He is quite humble when it comes to his reputation as one of the most powerful pro heroes, while he may deny it, his class has seen otherwise on various occasions and instances where he had taken down a whole swarm of enemies within a minute or so with blinding speed and incredible as well as scary technique.

* * *

 **Yuuei Class 3-A Training Field**

"So, since most of you are going to return to your internship schedules by the end of the week, we'll be doing some sparring practice against each other to determine how far you've grown both mentally and physically," Masamune explained as most of the students of 3-A gathered around him, each with mixed looks of determination, excitement, indifference, or slight annoyance. There were a few away due to either sickness or had an important event that they needed to attend. A few whoops and groans rose from the crowd as Masamune rolled his eyes with a slight smirk before checking his phone to make sure he didn't miss out on any important details concerning some other business. All of the students wore their school-assigned track gear as they stretched their muscles in preparation for the said task.

Earlier on in the day, the clouds had been pouring down on Tokyo heavily, so most of the students sat in the sheltered bleachers. Luckily, the rainstorm had died out so the class could continue with the schedule of outdoor activities. It was said that Principal Nezu had organised plans to construct a multipurpose gym and training area to be used for developing students' quirks and such.

Izumi, Nejire, and Togata looked at each other eagerly with smiles on their face, yet the air hung with a sense of tension and competition, while Tamaki just hid ducked his head down while silently observing the reaction of his fellow classmates around him. Once the crowd settled down, the 16 students watched Masamune eagerly as he sighed.

"... Good enough... All Might?" He turned to find the large muscular blond standing there proudly with his trademark American blue costume with his golden cuffed hands laid on his hips. The man gave him a bright toothy smile which gleamed in the sunlight before he gave him a thumbs up. Masamune nodded before placing his phone back in his pocket as he stared at all of them with half-lidded eyes. The snow-haired man sighed before nodding at All Might as the notion to continue, which he happily obliged with his chest puffed out pridefully.

"All right students! We will be working in different scenarios concerning Single matches for the first half of the lesson and doubles for the next, the matches will be randomly decided by these!" The no.1 hero exclaimed as he pulled out two boxes seemingly out of nowhere with a sticker of a cartoon Nezu printed on the front with a unique quirky message, causing a few students to crack a smile at the humorous image.

Principal Nezu had the best kind of Humor.

Starting out, the students were randomly assigned their own numbers before the two teachers made the draws using another pair of boxes. As the two pulled the first batch of number spheres, Murasaki tossed his casually over to All Might with a small yawn. The blond man caught it and carried on nonetheless without as much as a hint of annoyance. "Numbers 8 and 13!" All Might exclaimed, causing the students to look down at the ball that was placed within their hand's grasp.

Izumi looked down at the ball that sat comfortably in his palm, a large 8 was carved on its reflective exterior. The amber eyed boy felt his lips twitch upward in excitement as he stepped forward, his hand gripped tightly around the ball.

At the same time, a familiar mop of pear green hair emerged from the crowd, though he accidentally bumped into a few of his classmates along the way. "Oh, sorry..."

"Nah, it's fine..." A boy with messy purple hair and piercing yellow eyes replied sleepily. The boy nodded before adjusting a black bandana over his dilated and faded green eyes. Tapping the metal rings that banded around the base of each of his fingers, he nodded before taking a few more steps forward before standing beside Izumi, the ball in his hand revealed a 13 on its surface. A smile grew on Izumi's face as he patted the boy's shoulder lightly.

"Look's like we're going first, Yomo." The blindfolded boy looked at him for a second before an equally big grin appeared on his face as he nodded.

"Mhm, I can't wait." He replied eagerly as the two shook hands.

Masamune coughed into his fist to gain the two student's attention, a pleased look took on his face as the two boys turned to look at him with a look of apology on their expressions. "Yomo Kobayashi and Iwaizumi Midoriya will be the first to participate in a match, let's continue on with the rest of the draws before we start the matches for real." All Might announced with a large smile as he looked upon the two students with utmost curiosity and excitement. He hadn't had many opportunities to be able to teach Masamune's third-year class for quite some time, but he was eager to see how far they've grown since he saw them near the start of the school year.

Izumi stood beside All Might and Masamune as he watched more and more students walk forward to meet their challengers.

"Togata Mirio and Chikara Kaze!" The two were locked in a manly and passionate handshake, their expressions hardened but a grin was held on their faces as their eyes gleamed with determination. Izumi watched as the two took a space beside him, Chikara sent him a small wave while Togata patted his shoulder in greeting, to which Izumi smiled back at his good friend. It wasn't too much of a surprise that the two would face off against each other, the two appeared to have some sort of destiny tied rivalry which brought the two together to form a tight friendship.

In terms of physical prowess, Togata would likely beat Chikara in that regard, though that didn't mean that Chikara was lacking in the muscle department as well. Though anyone who knows Togata personally would understand the hardship and struggles he had faced during his training and internship to become number 1, even Chikara respected his endeavours which only made him more of a worthy adversary. The two were smart in how they used their quirks, though Chikara would be considered to be put at a disadvantage against Togata's permeation, the raven-haired man had worked diligently to hone his reaction timing and sensory impulses to match Togata's speed and be able to absorb some of the blows Togata unleashes in a merciless fury. The two had sparred on multiple occasions, though Togata would usually be on top of him and he would admit it. Despite this, the man never let his losses get the better of him and Izumi, Togata, as well as everyone in the class, respected such an attitude, it would take him far.

"Nejire Hado and Hikari Riku!" A smile came across Izumi's face as Nejire stepped forward. She sent him a little wave and smile before turning to face the golden blonde in front of her who gave a polite nod in greeting; Nejire smiled brightly before stepping forward to embrace the girl. Hikari let out a small squeak in surprise before settling into a somewhat uncomfortable expression but gingerly hugged the girl back.

"Hehe, good luck Hikari!" Nejire bounced cheerfully. The emerald-eyed blonde smiled slightly before nodding in response to her enthusiasm.

"Thank you, I look forward to our match."

Izumi gave Nejire a small peck on her cheek as she took a spot beside him, she giggled before linking their hands together with a light blush on both of their faces. The amber-eyed student's gaze softened upon watching his girlfriend fanatically scan the rest of the class, thinking up of different and interesting matchups for the various unique students with just as unique quirks. He knew that Nejire was one of the most powerful students around as of the mastery over her flexible and versatile quirk, though that didn't mean that people like Hikari were lagging far behind. Hikari's quirk was quite a unique case as it handled an uncommon yet powerful element, light. And not just light, she is capable of absorbing and recreating photonic atoms as well as manipulating them into bending light itself to a degree. There was also the added function that she was capable of manifesting solid objects to her disposal, which added more to her already powerful quirk. The only downside to it was that she herself had limits, along with major consequences when she would overexert herself.

"Amajiki Tamaki and Enmu Murasaki!" All Might exclaimed as the two students walked forward and greeted each other with simple and plain greetings accompanied by a slight nod before standing with the rest of the group.

Togata patted Tamaki's back heartily, causing him to squeak. In turn, this made the raven-haired boy as red as a tomato when his classmates tried to stifle their laughter but calmed down slightly soon after they apologized to him.

Glancing at the violet haired student, who closed his eyes in an attempt to gain some sleep. Izumi's lips formed a tight line in curiosity. This was actually one of the very few matchups for Tamaki which he would most likely have a lot of trouble with, due to him not having much defence against Murasaki's Purple gas quirk. One of the only methods in which he could overcome the violet-haired man's powerful gas was to have an animalistic feature that covered a large area span to cover himself or blow the gasses away. Then again, Murasaki was capable of controlling the gasses' flight path and is even able to form it into physical objects like an array of pellets; which, while it doesn't sound too impressive, they hurt... a lot.

But, Izumi had faith in Tamaki's skills. He was smart and rational, enabling him to usually be able to come out of the most unfavourable situations victorious, there was a reason he was called one of the Big three of Yuuei.

The two pro heroes continued to draw the lots as less and less students remained before them until the count dropped to zero.

"All right class, since we've all got our matchups, we'll begin the battles now with Midoriya and Kobayashi taking the first battle. We will allow for everyone to use any essential items for combat but we will refrain from using costumes for now as it will use up our time." The snow-haired man turned towards the muscular blond beside him. "I trust that you'll be able to referee the matches?" All Might nodded with a confident grin, throwing in a thumbs up reassuringly.

"Of course, my friend!" The man turned to face the student's before him, his sunken blue eyes livened as the two green haired students nodded and proceeded to move forward, though Izumi found himself held back lightly by a soft hand that tugged at his own gently. Turning around, he found Nejire smiling at him confidently with an eager expression on her face.

"Good luck honey," Nejire whispered to Izumi before pecking him lightly on his cheek, he smiled back warmly before squeezing her hand lightly in reassurance, accompanied by a slight nod in thanks. He could feel his cheeks warm up slightly but his amber eyes shone brightly in meeting her sky blue gaze.

The two stood on the opposite ends of a white-bordered arena, similar to that used in the Sports festivals. Each were preparing their choice of weapons and items for their style of combat. Yomo tugged at various belts and pouches that were strapped around his arms, waist and legs to ensure that their hold in his body is held tight and wouldn't slip during battle. Each was filled with various types of seeds and plants to be used at his disposal, while Izumi brought out his custom-made mechanical bow, tugging at its string to ensure that it's tension is adjusted properly and all of its functions are in working order. There were eight matches in total for the lesson, though there was more than enough time to spare on each one since they typically only lasted for a few minutes or less unless certain circumstances are in play.

Izumi and Yomo walked forward to shake hands as a sign of good sportsmanship before returning to the edges of the arena. All Might stood off the center with his arm raised high as he glanced at both of the students to ensure that they were prepared as they could be. He was met with a small smile from Izumi, accompanied by a slight nod, while Yomo spared him a thumbs up in confirmation. With that out of the way; All Might brought his hand down as the match started.

"Begin!"

The two rushed forward with incredible speed, though Izumi made sure to keep his distance from Yomo as he saw him have his hands dig into the pouches around his biceps, pulling them out, Yomo held a seed between each gap in his finger, counting eight immediate threats at his disposal. Izumi's eyes narrowed as the blindfolded student scattered the seeds in the air to root themselves around the immediate area but was met with a quick volley of charged arrows of pure lightning penetrating each seed with utmost precision as they were knocked off of the battlefield and out of Yomo's reach.

"Target location, acquired..." The green haired boy muttered as he pulled out a few more seeds, though they were from his thighs instead. Tossing them into his plant-like right hand, he quickly slammed them against the concrete surface as it gave way digging his hand into the ground, causing a minor tremor to occur as his arm twisted and convulsed heavily before stopping. Yomo ripped his arm out, which had a few ripped roots dangling off the edge but quickly reformed and intertwined with each other to assemble a hand. Izumi scanned the area to find little sign of the plant activity that surged below him. The amber-eyed student smiled.

 _He's grown a lot subtler since the last time I've seen him use that trick._

Yomo had dispersed his seeds across the field from below, attached with the roots of his arm to provide a larger potential bag of fertilizer and nutrients, waiting to spring out upon Izumi drawing closer to it. Beforehand, it was a lot more obvious to tell where he had planted the seeds due to the small bumps and the occasional cracks that sprouted from beneath the stone and soil. This time, it's more than likely that he had learned how to minimize the depth required to hide any traces of their presence while optimising the efficiency of their growth and tactical area dispersal.

There wasn't really anything Izumi could really do about that at the current moment as his electrokinetic quirk would most certainly be significantly weakened by the resistance of the ground below him as well as the accuracy and power needed to destroy the little seeds in the first place would require that he was given an opportunity to concentrate, though Yomo had plans to do otherwise.

Grunting, Izumi manoeuvred to the side, careful to watch the ground below him before he took aim for another shot. Yomo ducked under the volley of arrows that were sent his way before rushing towards Izumi, this time he had two bamboo shoots in his hand which rapidly extended to that of a katana blade. The amber-eyed student rolled to the side to avoid Yomo's overhand strike before his bow morphed into a staff of sorts by compressing and restructuring the various components of it's limbs and wrapping up the bowstring back into its reel compartment and extending the handle from the middle point. A small crack in the ground alerted him of a trap as he narrowly avoided being struck by a blossoming flower bud that grew to the size of a tree. Izumi breathed a sigh of relief as he returned his attention back to Yomo, the two smiled at the worthy challenge.

Twirling the staff around, the two clashed at incredible speeds with their own individual weapons, not letting up for the other to land a blow. Yomo attacked with a relentless barrage of slashes from his bamboo sticks, while Izumi spun his staff to ward off the incoming attacks before countering with his own bombardment of thunder charged thrusts from his staff.

The two continued their battle as the field slowly grew into a small forest. There were a few glancing strikes from the both of them which left them bruised and tired but Izumi knew Yomo had the upper hand. Looking at his surroundings, he wasn't even able to see the sun anymore as his vision was enveloped in trees and plants. He knew that an environment like that was where Yomo was at his best, due to the large array in his arsenal as well as basically having 360 vision from the vibrations picked up by each plant which also served as obstacles for Izumi.

He quickly knelt to the floor as his body felt chilled to the bone, though a warm glow enveloped his body with a few flames sprouting around his aura. Yomo's brows were raised as he sat atop a branch, sensing the sudden change in temperature, he quickly went in for a strike to prevent Izumi from dealing a massive blow to his chances of winning. Unfortunately for him, a wave of fire blasted out from him, quickly disintegrating and burning away the plant life around him. Yomo quickly threw a seed below him to push himself away from the blast. As he reached the ground, he staggered and breathed heavily from the sudden loss of plant life as he felt heavily drained. The inferno that blazed around him quickly died out as Izumi panted heavily, his amber eyes gleaming with excitement. Without another word, Yomo picked up another pair of bamboo shoots from his belt that was strapped to his waist before deciding to strike once more, despite his senses taking a big hit form the lashes of rising wind that was caused by the flames, he couldn't afford to let up now as the field was now even again.

Anyone would be astonished at the pace Yomo was able to keep up with, but most people who knew him were aware of his weakness to aerial attacks.

Charging his staff, Izumi attempted to do an overhead swing as his staff glowed orange and sparked to life. The blindfolded student's brow twitched at the sudden charge of static electricity before he knelt to the ground with a seed in hand to grow a vine wall. Smiling to himself, Izumi slashed through the wall with ease before leaping into the air with a profound grace, making sure to not add any charge to his staff mid-flight. As Yomo recovered from the blast, he turned his head around in a desperate attempt to locate Izumi.

Seeing his chance, Izumi soon found himself standing on top of a fallen Yomo who breathed heavily beneath him, his staff pressed lightly against his chest.

"I... yield." He gasped out. All Might nodded as he brought his hand to point towards Izumi's side of the field.

"Iwaizumi wins!" The rest of the class cheered as Izumi knelt down towards Yomo and helped him up and slung his arm over his shoulder. His mechanical staff morphed back into a bow before being attached to his waist.

"You okay? Sorry if I went in a bit too hard, you really put me into a corner there." Yomo smiled before nodding.

"Don't worry Midoriya san, it's was a great match." He turned his head towards him before smiling brightly.

"But I'll win the next one." He said confidently, Izumi stared at him before the two broke into light laughter.

"We'll see."

Turning their heads back to the rest of the class, Izumi watched as Nejire stepped forward to the two of them, her eyes sparkling with excitement while Recovery Girl followed close behind. "Oh my gosh, that was so cool you guys! When did you learn to..." She continued babbling on with her endless questions. As much as he enjoyed watching her talk about something she enjoys so passionately and excitedly, he was aware that Yomo needed some medical attention for the minor cuts and burns he had suffered. It wouldn't do to have any of his injuries suffered from an infection.

"Dear, would you be able to heal Yomo? I think I may have roughed him up a little bit." She stopped in her tracks as she glanced over the blindfolded boy before nodding.

"Sure thing!"

She held her hand out towards him before her energy spirals wrapped around Yomo who's injuries appeared to heal slowly but surely. Beside her was Recovery girl who was overseeing her progress while jotting down some notes on her signature clipboard. Once she finished, Yomo looked as good as new as he twisted his joints thoroughly before sending a positive thumbs up to her way and walking off once Recovery girl gave him the go.

"You're improving Nejire chan, though I'd advise that you work on getting used to the stimulation process as it appears that it requires a lot more concentration on your end." She concluded before looking up at her from her notes. Nejire nodded tiredly and gave her a warm and bright smile, which in turn caused the elderly nurse to smile back.

"But we can work that out later, be sure to rest up before you take on your match, I'll tell All Might and Masamune sensei to reserve your match later on in the lesson." With that, she took off to her small table and stool All Might had brought in for her to work on while she watched over the matches. Placing her clipboard back on the surface of the table, she sat down and smiled serenely, though her expression conveyed that she would give a massive lecture to anyone who went too far in hurting someone without restraint, Izumi felt lucky that Yomo only suffered a large bruise on his back as well as a few minor cuts and light burns that healed easily.

Turning back to Nejire, she stared at the floor distantly as her half-lidded eyes blinked slowly. He smiled at the sight; he was aware of the countless hours she had put towards training her quirk's healing abilities since ever since he suffered that major injury from the USJ attack. She often found herself incredibly sleepy and even fell unconscious during the first few attempts, which led him to carry Nejire back to her apartment to lay her to bed. Smiling to himself, Izumi pulled Nejire up in a bridal hold which she instantly melted into before she started snoring lightly. He chuckled lightly and kissed the top of her forehead, causing her to mumble something before burying her face deeper into his chest. Holding her close to him, he made his way back to the benches where the other students sat. Many congratulated him for his win against Yomo, while others mercilessly teased him about his current situation with the bluenette lying in his arms like a princess. Izumi chuckled and thanked them before sitting back down beside Togata and Tamaki. He had since gotten used to his classmates' teasing throughout the years, with both Fuyumi and Nejire; though he didn't mind it, as long as he loved her and she loved him, then there wasn't any reason to care about anything else.

Togata laughed, seeing how comfortable Nejire was in Izumi's embrace, as well as Izumi's refusal to put her down properly as she sat on his lap. Izumi wrapped her arms around her waist, while Nejire had her hands resting on top of her lap and buried her face into his neck with a blissful smile on her face. Tamaki shook his head in like a brotherly fashion, concerned that Nejire had overdone using her quirk to heal Yomo which had left her exhausted but smiled nonetheless at how peaceful she looked.

The matches continued with Togata and Chikara's one taking place next. It was an intense match to say the least, as the two fought strategically and powerfully. It was quite unfortunate that Togata had not thought of ordering a specially made Yuuei tracksuit to work with his quirk, which meant that he was practically naked during the fight, except for his boxers (luckily the three had suggested that he do something about it since he had already made an entire suit as well as a cape of his own hair). It was also unfortunate for us that we had gotten used to his... ahem, exposure of his body, which came as a real shock to everyone in the class when Togata, Nejire and Tamaki had transferred from class B to A in their second year.

It had always intrigued him to see Chikara's quirk in action as he was, for the most part, able to block most of Togata's blows, which was no easy feat. Even Izumi himself wouldn't be able to keep up with him for too long as Togata excelled in speed, power and mobility, as well as having being taught under Sir Nighteye had done wonders to his combat capabilities.

The two traded a few good blows before they went back to the routine of Togata relentlessly showering Chikara with attacks to gauge and spot any openings or subtle chinks in his defence. Chikara's shield glowed a bright red, causing him to smile slightly before he linked the shields together to merge into one. Soon after, the circle slowly grew into a protective dome which flashed an orange colour from the drainage of the move. Togata noticed this as he was in mid-flight towards him; quickly, he permeated himself to pass right through the reach of the barrier before diving back into the ground once more.

Sweat began to form on Chikara's brow as the dome cave in on him before moulding itself on top of his body, effectively covering all sides, though it's exterior flashed a pear green colour. It was a surprisingly good tactic due to the lack of space he had given Togata, as well as the matter of the threat that was his body covering shield meaning that Togata wasn't given many options to attack. He waited for Togata to appear from any direction. Togata had mastered using his calculative mind to project his trajectory despite the lack of all senses when he permeates, leaving him to only rely on memory, which was impressive to all of his peers.

It was a shame that he couldn't bring that kind of thinking over to his studies. He typically found that he struggled in most other subjects that involved a long line of deep and thoughtful reasoning, though it was lucky for him as well as his other two friends that Izumi was such a good tutor for them.

Looking upon the sight before him, Izumi and Tamaki were curious to see what Togata would do in a scenario like this. While Tamaki had known Togata since they had first met in a kindergarten, he knew that Togata's method of attacking was unpredictable, to both his opponent and himself; despite this, Togata would at least calculate the risks of an option before taking it. That itself was something that would prove valuable as a lesson to all future heroes.

The class watched as Togata was nowhere to be seen, though the occasional blur of blond told them otherwise. Observing the lack of aggression, the two's eyes widened curiously as they glanced at each other to confirm that they were on the same page.

 _Well... there is one option..._

Chikara's image suddenly blurred due to the result of what could only be caused by Togata landing within the range of his shield, causing the two to overlap simultaneously with no way to get out due to the mass of rebounding energy as Chikara's body tried to eject Togata's. A large explosion occurred, causing many of the students to cover themselves. Luckily the explosion was contained within a gust of metallic silver wind circling over it like a bowl, Masamune stood there with his blade out, pointing towards it as it glowed through the use of his quirk, his eyes wide with surprise as the wind dissipated to reveal a small crater that dug at least half a meter deep.

The students rushed forward to check if the two were alright by drawing near the crater. A sigh escaped many of their lips as the two lay there, heavily breathing but alive nonetheless. Masamune turned his head towards All Might, who scratched his head and shrugged, which caused the man beside him to shrug as well before pulling his hand up straight, not favouring either side. "We shall call it a draw!" All Might announced, causing many to facepalm and laugh.

They really are two peas in a pod.

Izumi smiled as he turned his head back down to find Nejire still sleeping soundly against his chest, he had to stifle his laughter to avoid waking her up since it surprised him that she had slept through the sound of the explosion, though that also worried him that the effects had this much of a toll on her.

His concerns were relieved as she yawned loudly, her arms stretched wide as she smacked her lips and turned her head towards Izumi, her eyes half-lidded but she maintained that beautiful smile.

"Hey sleepyhead, y-" He was cut off as Nejire leaned forward and took his lips with her own for a brief second before sitting back in his arms with a satisfied smirk before snuggling back into his embrace.

The amber-eyed student smiled tenderly with a large blush remained on his cheeks as he brushed a few stray blue strands of hair to the side of her face.

"Sleep well, my love."

* * *

 **Yuuei Class 1-A**

The class chatted happily as they discussed the events of the Sports festival, many commented on how recognisable and popular they were to the strangers they had met during their trip to school as they had been asked for their autographs as well as been given lots of encouragement and acknowledgement. Izuku had also witnessed this first hand as many people had recognised his bushy green hair in the midst of the squished passengers, leaving him a flustered mess as people around him cheered him on and praised him for his epic battles and wins during the sports festival, with his match against Todoroki being the most popular subject.

He wasn't able to fly with his brother to Yuuei as the rainstorm had unleashed it's fury that morning. Izumi had refused to take him due to the likely shock of being a conductor for lightning bolts as well as the added possibility of making him extremely uncomfortable and prickly as his lightning quirk was well conducted by the rain without any sort of cover for them to fly under without it falling off. Despite this, Izumi and his mother had been sure to make it up to him with lots and hugs and crying respectively when they had celebrated his return from the sports festival. Izumi and his mother even made a meal in celebration of his high ranking within the special event to cheer him on into a bright future. Izuku teared up at how loving and caring his family was, and he wanted to make sure that they would stay happy.

The only meant that he would have to work harder to keep it that way.

*Thunk*

All the chatter in the room stopped and all of the displaced students ran back to their seats in a silent and efficient manner as the open doorframe revealed a tired looking Aizawa.

"Morning..." He mumbled slowly as he usually did, though the class could detect a small amount of pride in his voice upon seeing the students before him, which made the class smile.

"Good morning sensei!" The class greeted enthusiastically but kept their greetings to a minimum to avoid spoiling his mood for the rest of the class.

He walked up to the small podium that sat at the front of the class, many perked up and widen their eyes upon finding Aizawa without any bandages or casts.

"Ribbit? Aizawa sensei, your bandages are gone. I'm glad," Tsuyu commented with her finger on her chin as a natural habit, the class seemed to share her sentiments but kept silent to avoid annoying him with any " _unrational behaviour_ ".

The raven-haired man grunted in confirmation as he scratched his chin nonchalantly with unenthusiastic half-lidded eyes. "The old lady went overboard with her treatment..." He explained, "More importantly, we're having a special hero informatics class today." The sentence caused the students to remain still as they panicked slightly with what was to come next as it had become a habit within their class since Aizawa had been assigned as their homeroom teacher. Some even trembled in their seats to prepare themselves for the worst, in the thought of a test paper or news alert of another villain attack.

 _'Here it is!'_

 _'Special? Is it a quiz, I hope it's not...'_

 _'I'm bad at laws relating to heroes and stuff like that...'_

Aizawa remained unmoved by the change in atmosphere as he blinked sleepily, savouring in the tense yet peaceful and quiet atmosphere that the class was now enveloped within.

"You'll be coming up with hero codenames." He said simply.

The class stared at him for a moment to let the words sink in, soon after, the majority screamed their cheers for various reasons ranging from relief, excitement and enthusiasm. "We get to do something exciting!" The class exclaimed.

Aizawa's eyes flashed a dangerous crimson red in annoyance, in response, the students sat back down without a word and remained unmoving to prevent further irritating him with their disturbance. The man sighed as the bright crimson glow faded from his eyes, his dangling hair returned to its place on his shoulders. "This is related to the pro hero draft picks I had mentioned the other day. The drafts continue in earnest during the second and third years."

Izuku's eyes widened slightly. He had heard about this from his own brother before as the amber-eyed boy had discussed with him the importance of working as an intern under a pro-hero as well as the valuable experience and insight that his chosen agency may provide.

Aizawa continued on as he pulled out a sheet of paper from his scarf. The class deadpanned at the action, the man could pretty much hide anything in there, heck, there was one time which Nezu had burrowed himself under the cover of his scarf to observe his class in secret. The class screamed when he had presented himself in his usual cheery demeanour as they had thought that Aizawa had mutated and grown another head. "After students have gained experience and can become immediate assets to the pros... In other words, for them to extend offers to first years like you shows that they are interested in your future potential. These offers are often cancelled if the interest dies down by graduation."

Once the class had proposed their own questions and comments about the nature of the internship process, Aizawa proceeded to pick up a remote and turn on the monitor. "And here are the totals for those with offers."

Clicking the button, blue numbers began appearing on the screen with a bar proportioned to the number's quantity as names were listed quickly beside it. There were some obvious ones like Todoroki, Katsuki, Tokoyami and Iida, though there were only ten names put up on the board in total.

Many of the students discussed the strange difference in offers for Todoroki and Katsuki. Evidently, Todoroki had obtained more votes than Katsuki, which earned an outburst from the sandy blond himself after Sero commented, or joked more like on how scared the pros would be from seeing the winner of the festival have to be restrained on top of the podium by a cement pillar with metal chains and even a muffler.

Yaoyorozu sighed as she saw the results, it wasn't surprising that the winners would get the most votes out of the class. She turned her head towards Todoroki who simply gazed at the results with slight annoyance. She offered him a kind and warm smile while attempting to cover up her own disappointment in not getting more offers. "You're amazing Todoroki." She pointed out in a reassuring way, he exhaled softly before his gaze hardened towards his desk.

"They're probably all because of my dad..." He muttered, she frowned at that but kept her questions to herself as she scanned the rest of the list.

While the rest of the class discussed the results, Izuku couldn't help but just stare at his name being at the bottom of the list, with only one offer.

One...

It wasn't that he was disappointed that he only got one but he was actually surprised that he got an offer at all since he was so reckless and self-destructive in his fight with Todoroki as well as his act of self-sacrifice may come off as crazy to many of those who had thought of recruiting him beforehand, though that was to be expected. _Perhaps they were more interested in how I acted during the Obstacle race or the Cavalry battle, there are a lot of heroes who like people who think smartly or love passionate heroes, though I would have expected that my performance during my fight with Todoroki would have sent most of them off..._

The class was soon handed out Whiteboard markers to write their heroes name with Midnight appearing as a special guest to help them decide on a hero name to identify themselves as during their internship with their chosen agencies.

As more and more students presented their name, Izuku struggled to come up with one that he liked. A small smile found it's way across his face as he remembered all the different names he would have made as a child, which were all related to All Might in one-way shape or form. Even his mother and Izumi had helped him come up with some, though young Izuku pretty much-preferred ones that had either All or Might in it. He could still remember how they laughed at how simple minded he was, though they stuck through with him till the end, doing their best to support his dream and encourage him to achieve it. A small blush remained on his cheeks as he thought about all the silly names he made, though a worried frown along with furrowed eyebrows soon took over.

 _But... now that I've been given his power and is under his care, I see just how big a difference there is between us._

He stared at the blank whiteboard in front of him as he recounted just how much of a gap there was between him and All Might, like a ravine that isn't meant to be crossed.

 _There's no way I can take on a name like that._

The broccoli haired boy spared a glance toward Iida who had not yet picked a name. He could see him abruptly stop writing something before shaking his head and rubbed whatever was written before off, erasing all evidence of what he had hoped to do. Izuku couldn't help but feel concerned for his friend. While the spectacled bluenette had reassured to bother Uraraka and Izuku himself that he was fine, Izuku could tell how much he was hurting inside, and he felt guilty for not being able to do anything about it.

" _Don't worry about me Midoriya san, I'm fine."_ He remembered Iida saying as he walked from the umbrella rack without so much as waiting for him or turning back to spare him a single glance. He could even see how white his knuckles were as he walked out of sight. Izuku sighed before returning his attention back towards his own whiteboard which was still empty and untouched.

Thinking about it for a moment, an idea popped up inside of his head.

His emerald green eyes widened as his fingers started moving on its own. Despite it still being in recovery, the crude state of the two words were still recognisable and he looked upon it with a sense of pride and confidence.

During his frequent talks and discussions with Izumi about the idea of heroes, the amber-eyed boy had often talked to him about the importance of choosing a hero name. He had said that it was something that defined what kind of hero you wanted to be and only you could decide on what it meant. In his case, Izumi had chosen to be called Raijin, the Japanese god of thunder. It was a given that his name would relate back to his quirk, though he had mentioned that choosing the name of a mythical deity meant that if he were to grow to be as strong as one, he would have the power to protect everyone under his care. It was an inspiration to him that his brother had chosen something meaningful to what he wanted to become, and it reflected him quite well.

Izuku believed that his choice of a hero name was something special to himself too, as it reminded him of how his life changed and turned around. A name that signified his path to becoming a hero. It was something that two good friends had given him, despite their reasoning being different, it was something that he cherished.

 _It's gotta be this!_

Stepping up to the podium, he presented his card. His fellow classmates stared at him in slight confusion and shock, as well as surprise.

"Midoriya?" Many of his classmates asked with concern.

"Are you really okay with that? I mean..."

"You might be called that forever, you know?" Kirishima continued for the lightning blond.

The class continued to send him worried glances, not wanting to silence their concerns for him as he had grown to have a good relationship with everybody in the class.

Izuku nodded his head, staring at the card he had presented with a confident gaze. "Mm. I didn't like this name until now... but someone dear to me changed the meaning of it, and it made a huge impact on me." He looked up at the class, a small smile on his face as his emerald green eyes sparkled brightly.

"It made me really happy." He gazed at Katsuki and Uraraka with a bright smile on his face.

 _"Deku doesn't mean useless anymore Kacchan, because Deku is a name of a hero!"_ His words echoed in his mind as he remembered the memory fondly. It was an event that would set his goals in stone, it showed that he wasn't afraid to take that new step forward in the blinding light.

"I'm not going to run away from what my past holds but instead, I want to be able to tackle the future head-on with something that was stuck to me for the good or the bad." He glanced towards Iida. While the sentence wasn't directly targeted at him, he wanted to help him however he could. While Izuku wasn't entirely aware of the circumstanced Iida found himself under, he felt that it was his responsibility as his friend to support him. The spectacled bluenette stared at him for a moment before turning his head away and back to his own board. Izuku sighed but returned his attention back to the class as he held it proudly in front of him.

"This is my hero name!" He exclaimed proudly as the word Deku was inscribed on the front of the card.

Soon after all of the student's hero names were chosen, Aizawa quickly handed out the list of agencies which were offered to them, as well as the list of general agencies which would accept any newcomers for those who didn't get any offers. The man handed them out hastily as he was still slightly irritated that he had to be woken up from his usual slumber but said nothing in complaint as many in the class discussed their future plans for the next few weeks or so. As Izuku was handed his paper, Aizawa couldn't help but linger upon seeing a certain agency listed under his name but handed it to him anyways.

Taking the paper into his hands, his emerald green eyes widened as the agency listed there was one that he would never have expected.

 _The Endeavor hero agency_

Izuku was at a loss for words, while he was excited that such a high ranking hero had thought that he was worth extending a hand to, he couldn't forget about the pain and suffering he had caused to Todoroki. He had once seen the man as a hero who was in the search for power but kept true to the ideas of a hero despite his cold attitude, but listening to Todoroki's story told him that he was anything but a kind person. Sure, Izuku knew that Izumi worked there as well as Endeavor's sidekick, but thinking about it and weighing out his options of choosing his agency, there wasn't much that Endeavor could offer to help him develop One for All since his quirk was something that required that someone was aware of how it works and knows what to do to help him develop it... besides, he's one of the most dangerous people to have knowledge of his and All Might's quirk.

The broccoli haired boy sighed as he rubbed his forehead in thought.

 _Perhaps I should talk to All Might about it._

* * *

"Hm? You got an offer from Endeavor?" Izumi asked in surprise.

"Mhm." Izuku nodded as he took a seat beside his elder brother, passing him a cup of warm tea. Izumi placed a hand on his chin, his eyes closed in thought with his brows furrowed.

The two sat in the living room of their apartment. While Inko was out to have dinner with some of her old colleagues who were in town. Izumi had mentioned that Nejire, Togata and Tamaki were coming over to eat with them so he had told both Izuku and Inko that he would be more than happy to handle the cooking. While he was mainly waiting for the rice to cook as well as some food to heat up in the oven, Izumi was brought over to the couch by Izuku's request.

Izuku had decided that now was the best time to talk to Izumi about Endeavor's agency before anyone else could overhear them talk about One for All. While Izuku knew that the three were trustworthy in their own right, All Might had warned him that the less amount of people that know about One for All, the better. The two had come to understand that there were many enemies that would take advantage of All Might's weakened state with the proper information, and that would likely make the people that know about the quirk Izuku and All Might shared targets, though this would likely branch out into people close to them as well. It was the reason that the two kept their mother in the dark of Izuku's powerful inheritance, it hurt them that they had to lie to her about it but it was the only way to keep her safe.

Izuku also wanted another opinion on the matter despite his option being already clear as of the slip of paper All Might had given him later on in the day before he took the train home was on the forefront of his mind.

"Well, that's... surprising, to say the least, though to be honest, I don't think it's a good idea to join his agency..." He said and Izuku perfectly understood why as he hummed in agreement. The boy sighed as he scratched the back of his head. Turning his attention back towards Izuku, he stared at him in thought. "Did you get any other offers?" Izumi asked. In response, Izuku nodded with a small smile.

"Yeah, All Might told me that his old mentor wanted to enlist me." He replied. Izumi raised his brow.

"All Might's mentor? I didn't even know that he had one." Izuku nodded.

"Mm, even I haven't heard from him. He apparently goes by the name Gran Torino and he even used to teach All Might as his homeroom teacher back when he was in Yuuei." The amber-eyed boy nodded in understanding, reaching out to take his mug of tea to take a small sip out of it. A small smile found it's way across his face as he savoured its sweet taste, warmth enveloped his body as he turned his head towards the sliding frame windows that led to the apartment's balcony, where the moon hung in full view.

Turning back to him, he smiled before ruffling Izuku's hair with a chuckle. "Sounds like a good idea."

The two eventually decided to turn on the television to pass the time. It was quite cold out and had started raining once more soon after; while the air conditioner they had heated up the room, Izuku found himself shivering slightly from the light All Might t-shirt he wore not covering his arms. Smiling reassuringly, Izumi quickly left to bring back some blankets for his brother, who thanked him in return as Izumi wrapped the broccoli haired boy in a cocoon of blankets.

Flicking through the channels, the two brothers stumbled across the same story across all the news channels. There were several news reports about the attack in Hosu city, where they had found out that Iida's brother Ingenium had been hospitalized badly. Izuku hugged his legs lightly with his eyes being glued to the screen; he leaned against Izumi for slight comfort upon connecting the dots between Iida's rather unusual behaviour. He looked up at Izumi, who watched with sorrow and regret. Izuku could only think of the pain that Iida felt when he had found out that his dearly beloved brother was injured so badly during what would be one of the most important events of Iida's Career as a Hero. While the news didn't explicitly state his current condition, Stain's kill and injury count led him to conclude that the damage done to Ingenium didn't come lightly.

Just staring at his image gave him chills; His tattered bloodstained clothes, his maniacal smile he wore with his sickly pointed tongue dangling around his lips, as well as his crazed bloodthirsty crimson eyes gave him all the warnings of someone who should be avoided and not to be messed around with. A voice within the dark depths of his mind whispered a few words that truly scared him.

 _What if your brother fought him?_

 _Would he suffer the same fate?_

His body trembled at the thought of Stain standing over Izumi with his blood coated blade hanging above him threateningly. His long tongue licked the edges of his lips as Izumi bleeds out from under him. A sick noise of metal piercing flesh was drowned out by a cry of pain. The hero killer's bloodshot crimson eyes danced wildly upon feeling the warm sensation of blood splattering across his face, the cries of pain Izumi would slowly die out into mere whispers. His hand reaches out towards Izuku who sat there terrified upon witnessing the horrifying sight before him.

 _Help... Izuku..._

Izuku.

"Izuku! Hey, are you alright?" Izumi shook the emerald-eyed boy out of his trance, he shook his head to refamiliarize himself with his surroundings. He was still in the living room with his brother, wrapped up in the familiar cocoon of blankets. He glanced towards his brother who had a worried expression on his face.

"Nii-san..." He croaked out softly.

Izumi could see the slight fear in his eyes as he turned towards the television which showed the less than pleasant image of stain. He wrapped his arms around his brother, leaning in close to rest his head ontop his like he did when Izuku came back from school with injuries from his apparent bullies. Izuku shook as he hugged his legs tighter under the layers of blankets. "Shh, I'm here..." Izuku leaned further into his embrace, averting his gaze from the television as Izumi picked up the remote to turn it off, making the screen turn black. All that was left was the reflective image of the two staring back at them.

The room fell into silence while the air conditioner hummed lightly with small waves of heat flowing out from its slits, but the two could feel a sudden chill crawl down their spines from the change in atmophere.

A faint ding could be heard from the kitchen, signifying that the rice was likely finished steaming. Izumi turned his head towards the noise before glancing back at Izuku who turned up to look at him with a much calmer but still panicked expression. He understood that the event of the USJ attack still haunted him every now and then, he had even said so. Though he had gotten over it for the most part, Izuku always did tense up at the mere thought of Izumi or All Might being seriously injured or even on the verge of death. He had even witnessed Izumi's incredible injury which would have more than likely have killed him if he did not have his particular special quirk. He couldn't stand the thought of losing either one of them; they had done so much in his life that if one of them were to be killed, it would leave a large void within his being.

He could only shed a grateful tear that Izumi was alive an well.

Izumi softly rubbed Izuku's head as he stared at the empty black screen. Ingenium, or rather Tensei Iida was a person to be respected amongst the world of pro heroes. While Izumi didn't know him too well apart from having the occasional encounter from agency partnership during certain instances such as stopping a large scale operation or the random encounter on the streets or in Yuuei when he had come to visit his brother Tenya Iida, he could tell by what Izuku told him as well as his own experiences that Tensei was a kind man, a man that didn't deserve to have this happen to him. He could only think of what Iida felt about this. Even with his meetings with the blue haired student when Izuku wanted to introduce him to his best friends officially, he could tell that he held pride in the name of the Iida family. He would often talk about his aspirations to be a kind and strong person like his elder brother with a bright smile on his face.

The amber-eyed student froze for a moment in thought as an unpleasant thought passed through the forefront of his mind, one that couldn't be simply ignored.

"Hey, Izuku. When do you guys start your internships?" Izumi asked him as he turned his head towards his elder brother with a look of curiosity in his eyes but obliged to his request.

"We're starting next week. Why?" Izumi pondered over this for a moment before shaking his head.

"Don't worry about it, it's nothing." He said; though Izuku didn't look too convinced, he let it slide as he trusted that Izumi knew what he was doing.

"Okay then..."

He chuckled as he patted his head playfully, causing Izuku to chuckle.

Standing up from the seat, he walked back over to the kitchen to prepare the rest of the food.

While Izumi prepared the usual favourites for Izuku and himself, there were quite a few dishes that he knew that his three friends enjoyed eating. It made him happy that his friends enjoyed his cooking so much that they often liked to come over to his house to eat with the family, Nejire especially since she lived by herself and often liked spending time with him when she wasn't busy with her internship and her job as Ryuko's sidekick. He blushed, thinking about the last time she came over which had resulted in the two falling asleep together in Izumi's room. Izumi smiled at the thought of her as he chopped some onions before throwing them on a pan to fry, causing it to hiss and sizzle while he moved on to preparing other ingredients.

Inko was often lonely since she had to work hard to make a living for herself, Izuku and Izumi, which had resulted in her working long hard hours and less time for herself. She was a kind but stubborn woman, though she never stopped loving her children after things got rough for them since Hisashi's passing, though this only made the two love and appreciate her more and was willing to do anything to help her.

Izumi was glad that he maintained a good connection with the Todoroki family as they were good friends and support for her during his time of interning with Endeavor, which gave him an opportunity to contribute towards making his mother's life easier.

A ding at the front door woke him up from his trance as he looked around the room to find all the food prepared already with a variety of dishes scattered around the counter of the kitchen. He chuckled to himself.

 _I suppose I always did have a habit of doing that._

Walking out of the kitchen towards the door with his apron still on, he walked into the living room as he asked Izuku to help set up the tables and bring the food over, to which he happily obliged, while Izumi brought out all the dishes which were prepared on metallic plates, so Izuku only had to do the ones on normal plates. Continuing his journey to the entrance of the Midoriya family apartment, he unlatched the lock before opening the door. His smile widened upon the welcome sight of his three friends wearing a collection of beanies, scarves and jackets as they were talking amongst themselves happily before they noticed his presence and smiled in greeting at him.

"Hey, guys." They grinned and opened their mouths to say their greetings before their eyes widened upon smelling what was cooking from within the house. They stood there dumbfounded as their noses twitched in delight. Izumi laughed at their shocked expressions, snapping the three out of their trances. "C'mon guys, it's not like I cooked anything too different from last time so you don't have to act surprised." He said as he ushered the three in quickly as it was quite cold outside the apartment, not to mention that it was getting late as well and the three were probably hungry.

"Nonsense Midoriya! Your cooking is always one of the things I most look forward to during our visits, they're like high-class restaurant material!" Togata exclaimed heartily with Tamaki nodding with him, his own small smile present on his face.

"Yeah, your cooking, as well as your mother's, are extremely good Midoriya, without a doubt. I could probably live off your cooking with all the variety and taste in your meals alone." Tamaki complimented with an uncommon eagerness to it.

"Guys..." Izumi said embarrassedly as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly with a goofy but honest grin.

Nejire nodded furiously as she tackled Izumi in a hug with a bright smile and a cute giggle to accompany it. Her body, while cold at first, quickly heated up as the slight use of his own quirk to warm the three up. He quickly hugged her back as she snuggled into Izumi's arms, enjoying the warmth his body radiated.

"Mhm, I'd say that it's the best thing in the world. It's a good thing that I'll be able to live with you for the rest of my life when we get married!" Izumi's face flushed a crimson red as he stuttered profusely in surprise and shock.

"N-nejire!?" He exclaimed flustered, she giggled while his two other friends laughed at his expense. As the laughter settled down, Nejire looked up at him, her fingers intertwined with his as she stared into his warm amber orange eyes.

"You love me right?" She asked, a gentle and innocent smile on her face. The red in his cheeks slowly subsided as he smiled back; leaning down, he lightly kissed her forehead with as much affection he could muster.

"Of course, I wouldn't want to be with anyone else, dear." She giggled and nodded with a bright and happy grin.

"Then there's no problem with thinking about our future, is there?" Izumi chuckled at that before shaking his head.

"No, I guess there isn't." Smiling, the three walked into the dining room where Izuku had finished setting up all of their plates. His thoughtful expression brightened up upon seeing the four arrive.

"Hey, guys!" He greeted as he walked over to the four.

After the all the greetings were done with, the four began to talk over dinner. The big three didn't hold back any compliments they had regarding his food as they quickly ate their food with sounds of delight and approval. Izumi smiled upon the sight of Izuku actively conversing with Togata and Tamaki while Izumi and Nejire talked to each other, though they contributed towards the three's conversations when they had something to add. The room was basked in a warm and lively atmosphere as the five of them talked the night away, as if nothing else mattered or happened.

Glancing back at Nejire, he simply watched with a gentle smile on his face as she talked passionately and curiously about the events of the sports festival as well as talking to Izuku about their own experiences with their agencies that they work for. As she noticed Izumi staring at her, she tilted her head curiously.

"Darling, is something wrong?" She asked with a slight amount of worry, though her concerns were relieved once he laughed lightly and shook his head, accompanied by a small squeeze of his hand.

"No, nothing is wrong, dear. I just wanted to say that I love you, Nejire. I always will." He said with as much love he could. She sat there in silence for a moment before smiling once more.

"I love you too, Izumi. Nothing will keep me from doing so." She responded happily as she resumed eating her meal. He smiled and nodded before placing a spoonful of food in his mouth, which he hummed in delight as he savoured the flavour of the food he had made for all of them.

He couldn't be happier right now.

 _I promise to keep things the way it is..._

 _I'll do everything in my power to protect this world._

 _To protect everybody I care about_

 _To protect her._

* * *

 **Author's note:**

 **Aaaah, I love writing fluff! Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed reading this chapter, and I'm sorry that it's been more than a few months since my last upload of a new chapter, rewriting previous chapters took a lot longer than I thought, and I'm not even done. Though I'll continue with new chapters, I hope to be still able to carry on rewriting the old chapters, so my upload schedule might be slowed but I'll do my best to keep things going!**

 **I also wanted to tell you guys that I might not be as active for the next two weeks or so since I have some mock exams coming up so I'll need to study hard for those. I hope to be able to spend some time still on Blood brothers, though forgive me if I'm not able to get anything out during that time period.**

 **Also, we're now moving onto the hero killer arc! Yay, woo! Anyways, I plan to have a big twist at the end of the arc and I'm really excited for the next few chapters or so, and I hope you guys like the new OC additions (hopefully they're not too OP, I tried to condense them down as much as I could)**

 **Welp, that's all I have to say. Thanks for reading!**

 **Ignis**


	18. Quest of Vengeance

**Author's Notes:**

 **OMFGTBTAFITAXFNVWGNREAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!**

 **You guys have heard, or rather saw right?! THE BIG THREE are finally in the anime!**

 **You guys don't know how long I've been waiting for this... they're so perfect...**

 **Anyways, sorry I've been putting this off for a while, a lot of things came up and I got sick a lot which sucks, but hey! New Chapter! Yeeeah.**

 **Also, there is the involvement of a character in which is included within some of the earlier rewritten chapters, so if you haven't read them yet, I do recommend on doing so, but it's not entirely necessary just yet. I just don't want people to say that it came out of nowhere or anything like that.**

* * *

 **Streets**

Days had passed when Izuku had patiently waited to be able to board the train that would offer a great deal of experience towards his future as a hero. Today was finally marked the expected day in which he was able to get a glimpse into the world of pro heroes. He, as well as Izumi and Nejire, were walking down the residential streets of Tokyo from their apartment complex. Each one of them held a numbered suitcase within their grasps which contained their custom-made hero costumes. Nejire had insisted that she walk with the two brothers along the way to the train station since she and Izumi were taking a few trains together to reach their agencies. Then again, she was always one to like spending time with people close to her, especially Izumi.

It was to be expected that Izuku was visibly nervous about the entire subject of learning under a pro hero, though little did Izumi and Nejire know that he was actually somewhat... afraid, for a lack of a better term of what his new "teacher" would do to put him into shape. The broccoli haired boy shuddered upon remembering the terrifying sight of All Might shaking uncontrollably as he handed the boy a single slip of paper, which would decide his progression towards developing one for all into something he could actually use without too much risk. As of this, he made sure to ask Izumi and Nejire as many questions as he could about the field training as to hopefully get onto his new teacher's good side. Usually, when students first get introduced into an agency, they're usually made to do small tasks and are made sure to be kept out of immediate harm's way, though Izumi, as well as Izuku, would likely assume that Izuku's mentor for the next week or so would most likely focus on helping him harness one for all at a more safer rate. All Might had also mentioned that this "Gran Torino" was retired and would most likely cut off on patrols around the city block in which they are located in.

Then again, the boy was genuinely and passionately curious about the life of his brother as well as Nejire as the two were much more experienced than many of other pro heroes due to the popularity of the agencies they work in, giving them more opportunities to learn valuable lessons when they would be released into the real world of heroes. After all, Endeavor was named as the hero with the most solved cases by his hands, leading him to become an extremely strong and reliable asset in handling a villain.

It made Izumi happy to see Izuku return to his usual state since the small incident a few days prior when the two, as well as the big three, had hosted dinner in their apartment. While he wasn't entirely aware of what happened within Izuku's big brain of his, he was aware that Izuku often had a switch between both optimistic and pessimistic personalities. While the difference between the two may be barely noticeable on the outside, Izumi could always see the signs when he was in one or the other. He was glad that Nejire would often visit the two of them, due to her living in her apartment alone; her bright, cheerful and optimistic personality always helped the emerald-eyed boy stay in the green of the Izuku mood scale.

The sun was still getting up as the skies slowly dawned into a light glazed cream yellow that glistened upon Nejire's wavy flowing hair like a golden veil. Izumi could only smile upon watching her eagerly talk with Izuku about the experiences he could possibly obtain from doing well in his internship, often pointing things out and correcting some of the close observations his brother made with glistening eyes that radiated enthusiasm. It was at times like these that made him happy that he fell in love with someone so brilliant and wonderful like the morning sun; his feelings were supported by the sight of their interlocked hands which held the others tightly and lovingly. Nejire was always fond of physical contact as she often commented on how soft his cheeks, as well as his lips, were and how nice and smooth his green and black hair felt when she combed her fingers through them, which never failed to make the amber-eyed boy blush. But he never did anything to stop it, it was just who she was, and it was a part of her that he loved; if she wanted to do something with him, he'd happily do it for her in a heartbeat, though he was glad that Nejire had learned to be considerate of her partner's input towards her actions.

It often reminded him of how the two first met... well, officially, at least. While the two, as well as Tamaki and Togata, were in separate classes during the first year of their enrollment of Yuuei, the sports festival was one of the many opportunities where different classes are able to show off as well as observe their peer's abilities, both physically and quirkwise. Of course, it was all in the good spirit of competition as well as obtaining the drive to push yourself forward to overcome all obstacles. Izumi was no exception to this. He was aware of how people looked at him, how they looked at him with admiration, as well as slight fear.

He wasn't particularly mean or cold per say, nor was the fact that they saw him in that way intentional on his part; in fact, he was a more reserved and quiet individual but was able to handle a conversation just fine with his friends. He was also known to be kind and compassionate to those who needed a helping hand. No, their fear stemmed more along the line of how people witnessed his behaviour during combat firsthand. To those who watched, he was like a completely different person to the quiet but kind boy they knew, but watching him stand over his enemies, who lay on the floor, their expressions contorted in pain, he looked like a maniac of sorts. His eyes wide but his mouth sealed shut into a small frown, charging wildly with an extreme and unyielding power against his foe, slowly growing a crazed grin. While his attacks may seem random and extremely dangerous. To those who knew him and watched closely, they could tell how observant he was, how he worked with utmost precision, superior speed, and devastating strength. Surprisingly enough, he was more than just a glass cannon, despite having the incredible durability to bodily harm as of the various occasions in which he overuses his powers as well as taking hits from an enemy, he would take all available measures to avoid getting injured, for reasons most people weren't sure why.

That was what made Nejire curious about him in the first place. Sure, she was indeed intrigued by his incredible electrokinetic quirk, as well as how effectively he implements and integrates it into his own style of combat, but she had more than enough questions regarding his rather unnatural behaviour. People don't like to get hurt as pain was something that most people regarded with distaste. She understood this perfectly well, as her own quirk was wild and powerful, but flexible at the same time. She often received her fair share of scrapes and bruises when she attempted to use her quirk to fly or another occasion which she accidentally released a humongous shockwave to send her flying back into either a tree or the ground. Despite this, she could tell how afraid he was of receiving a hit. His footwork would become sharper at the cost of his breathing falling out of sync before retaining his composure and concentration. Nobody knew why he acted in such a way, despite the various occasions where the two hero classes would partner up for a joint exercise, she would always notice Izumi's hurry to end a fight as soon as possible.

She would often find herself there, a few feet behind him. Staring at him intensely like she was trying to figure out a complicated puzzle. Ever since she saw how he fought against some of her own classmates in the early stages of the school year, she grew more and more curious about him. Despite her various attempts to reach out to him and talk, he would always stay behind for a small chat, but will soon after resort to making some sort of excuse to leave when she tried to get him to open his heart to her. She was frustrated, no doubt, it often reminded her of how Tamaki acted when the two first met by Togata's help, but instead it was far more harder to crack Izumi's shell, most likely due to the fact that he was often alone. Though despite all her failed attempts, it only made her more determined to learn about him, more than just how his quirk works, she wanted to learn of the boy behind those amber-orange eyes.

There have been various instances where the two competed against each other during the first two games of the festival, though they only shared a few words of encouragement to each other, they mostly tried to stay out of each other's way for their own independent reasons. It was only until the tournament segment of the festival where the two were matched to do battle within the final bracket of the sports festival games, that Nejire really got a chance to observe Izumi fighting closely, and it was quite the same for Izumi himself to learn more of the girl who tried to talk to him at every chance she got.

He could remember walking up the concrete sculpted stage. Brazen large pillars of flame pulsing lively on either side of him. The heat wasn't one to bother him much due to his quirk's resistance, but it definitely set up the mood for battle. His opponent, a pale girl with a bright smiling complexion. Her sky blue eyes shined brightly upon seeing him and her wavy blue hair blossomed into a faint purple hue upon walking beside the torches. Ember petals swirled around her as she smiled at him innocently. He returned the gesture with a small, but respectable amount of enthusiasm.

What happened next was a blur for the both of them as they could hardly remember what had occurred then. The crowd could only watch in bewilderment as streaks and waves of light was emitted from the flurry of smoke that arose from the lightning seared concrete. Both of their quirks were matched in terms of power, but Nejire's was much slower than Izumi's but was more flexible in terms of how she could use it. She could tell that while Izumi had an extremely good grasp on the use of his quirk, there was definitely much room for improvement. Then again, it was expected that the two were inexperienced in drawing forth their quirk's full potential since they were both first years, but that didn't mean that they couldn't put up a good show for all to watch.

From the end of the festival, the two hit it off as friends as of Nejire's insistence, though Izumi finally accepted her offers to "hang out" as a sign of respect from their efforts during the battle on and off on both ends, though that wasn't to say that he particularly minded the thought of meeting with the cute and quirky girl in the first place. Nejire soon introduced him to Togata and Tamaki when he soon became more comfortable with her, though Togata was more than a handful to meet, he was quite nice and supportive, and Tamaki and Izumi quickly became friends as well. The curious bluenette was always there for him and him for her, it meant a lot to him that he had someone to confide his past with and lean on when he felt overwhelmed by the effect of his hidden quirk.

Nejire had soon learned of this as he took the time to explain his dangerous powers to the three whom he had considered some of his closest friends. He had often described how it often felt like it spoke words of baited temptation within the depths of his mind, feeding him scenarios of his worst fears that were stored within the depths of his soul as he felt as if the control over his body was slowly slipping away from his grasp.

While he hadn't particularly disclosed any information regarding his past, the three were quick to help him in any way they could, and that made him extremely grateful for that. She easily helped him overcome the temptation of his quirk's power with her presence as well as a quick few words of encouragement when he needed it the most. She was like his shining light during his darkest hours.

Snapping back to reality, Izumi could only smile calmly upon watching his brother eagerly listening to Nejire speak her mind on whatever topics the two could come up with. Originally, he was actually surprised to see how close the two had grown, though as time passed, he grew used to the more than welcome sight. It was most likely supposed to be expected since Izuku was often the listener in a conversation, and Nejire was the talker; though the two didn't have any problem switching the roles whenever the other had something to say. It wasn't particularly difficult for Nejire to break Izuku's nervous and timid shell with her exuberant and lively demeanour, she was someone who everyone could talk happily with. The girl was even able to make the socially depressed Tamaki open up to her, with the help of Togata. Taking in a small breath, Izumi turned his head towards the open view of the peaceful and quiet town, a small frown taking over his smile as a disturbing thought passed through his mind.

There were many things that the future generation of heroes had to consider when taking part in internships, a necessary step in growing both as a person and a hero. The line of a hero is one of the most dangerous and detrimental of that of many careers, both physically and emotionally; he understood that very well. He still remembered the news report from a few days ago, the headlines flashing of the great hero Ingenium's defeat.

He understood the pain of having someone close to them lose everything they held dear. Despite having lost his father at a young age, Izumi was too weak and powerless to do anything. He was angry of course, he loved the man with all of his being, he was like a teacher to him, his best friend, his father. Izumi would often find himself in a substantially depressed state, not having the appetite to eat, not getting enough sleep, he had many of the symptoms that led towards clinical depression. But with the loss, there was also to consider his mother and of course, his brother. He couldn't just sit around feeling sorry for himself when his family was on the verge of tipping on the breaking point. Izuku had turned four a few months before Hisashi's death, and being quirkless left him much in the same state as Izumi, but much worse when he found out that his dreams of becoming a hero were dashed and shattered into fragmented pieces. Inko was much the same, though she would put on a brave front for her children, Izumi and Izuku could tell how much their mother was breaking apart. Izumi would often find her in her bedroom crying, a photo of their family clenched tightly in her hand, whispering hoarse pleas to whatever gods watched above to bring the man she loved so dearly back into her life.

Many nights the three would spend sleeping together on the large bed that Inko and Hisashi once shared together, clinging onto each other desperately in hopes that their reality was all just a bad dream with tear-stained cheeks, but the day that they could say that they woke up from it never came. Time passed as the three slowly grew to recover from the loss, Inko had taken it upon herself as the only adult of the three to support her family the best she could. She couldn't rely on any relatives since they were either living elsewhere among the earth, or they had already passed on.

Her tireless efforts had inspired Izumi to take care of her and Izuku as he took on the liberty of lightening her load by learning how to cook alongside her, as well as supporting their family by whatever means he could by doing simple chores or taking on some simple jobs. It made Inko proud that her son would work so hard for what remained of his family, she wouldn't forget to express her thanks with regular hugs with the frequent but meaningful line of "Thank you." and "I love you." He would always wave it off as it being a part of his responsibility to help keep the family together and keep her, as well as Izuku safe. After all, he had to make due on the promise he made to his father during his final moments after all.

The road down to recovery was a long an treacherous one with many more losses and events that transpired along his path of growing up to mercilessly rip open the sealed wounds once more. Despite all the pain that it caused, a hero's duty was that to protect others from harm and bearing the burden upon themselves. While his beginnings may have been shaky at first, Izumi was kept on the straight path with the constant help and reminders of the people around him to hold his head high and fight. Perhaps it was some cruel and twisted destiny that someone as young as himself to experience the loss of someone close to him, but from pain attracts others who have experienced the same thing. They help each other so they can grow higher than they could before.

His mind flashed back to Iida. The young but bright boy who held a great deal of potential into becoming a future hero, as well as a leader. The two had grown to talk often when Izumi and Izuku walked him from a day at school, their friends often tagging along with them, forming a group that would occasionally consist of Izuku, Izumi, Nejire, Togata, Tamaki, Iida and Uraraka. The boy was quite diligent in his pursuit to better himself as a hero, and that quality was something that he found admirable. While he was incredibly blunt as well as dense at times, he was surprisingly good at hiding his anger and sorrows when people were watching. While there was a difference between losing someone forever and having someone close to you lose everything that they held dear, in his opinion, Izumi would likely consider both paths to be just as painful.

To put it into perspective, he could only imagine the pain Iida would have to go through, seeing his brother in such a weak and paralyzed state. Someone who he had admired and loved so dearly unable to walk freely, smile like everything was alright, he was unable to play the hero anymore. To see him would feel like a reminder of his weakness, his failure to protect him despite the obvious and glaring fact that there was literally nothing he could do about it, and all he could do is clinch the metal railing in miserable regret. It was indeed likely that Iida would go through the unpleasant thoughts of denial and regret, only to later evolve into hatred and vengeance. Grief was like an arrow that could fell even the greatest of angels into the void of madness. He needed a helping hand, he needed to be saved, but from what Izuku had told him, he wouldn't let his heart open up to anyone.

It was why Izumi was glad to hear that class 1-A were able to depart to their agency field training the same day as he would. While many others in his class would find themselves waiting a bit longer before they would be able to start their internships again, Endeavor had especially called Izumi to work since Todoroki would be applying for his agency. It was a good opportunity to help talk with Iida about his current goals. Izumi had a pretty good idea of what workplace he had applied for once he had convinced Aizawa to let him oversee some of the student's choices of agencies.

 _Hosu City._

"Nii-san?" Izuku said, snapping Izumi out of his thoughts. The amber-eyed boy blinked before turning his gaze towards Izuku with a curious smile. "Hm? What is it, zukun?" He responded curiously. Izuku had a look of slight concern on his face but his frown grew into a small and gentle smile once he finally responded. He didn't zone out that much did he? Izumi asked himself. Izuku shook his head in dismissal. "Ah, no, I was just wondering what was on your mind. You looked a little distant while you walked, and your pace slowed a bit." He answered. Izumi titled his head to the side before turning his attention towards Nejire, who giggled and offered him a concerned smile. Izumi chuckled a bit before apologizing, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

"Oh, it's nothing, sorry if I made you two worry," Izumi said as he ruffled Izuku's messy green hair. Izuku didn't look entirely convinced but sighed and let it go, though Izumi had a feeling that the broccoli haired boy would keep an eye on him to detect any other signs of distraction. It was just a part of his nature to care for others, he's one to notice if something is off with someone, even if it's a minute detail. Izumi figured that he'd have a lot of potential in the works of interrogation if he were to partake in studying the more effective signs of finding a person's little habits, though Izuku was probably too soft and kind to be properly effective in a role which would force people into situations like that. He felt his hand tighten lightly as he turned to find Nejire rubbing her thumb across the back of his hand soothingly.

"You can tell me if something is wrong..." She whispered to him, I smile in appreciation and shook my head.

"Thank you, but really, I'm fine." He leaned over to peck her forehead, causing the bluenette to giggle at the unexpected but not unwelcome action. "I appreciate it dear." She smiled as he wrapped his arm lovingly around her waist, causing her to do the same in return.

 _Don't worry Iida, I'll do the best I can to help you._

* * *

 **Central Train Station Docks**

"Everyone!" Izuku exclaimed as he ran up to the majority of class 1-A with Izumi and Nejire in tow. Many of his peers and friends greeted him with happy smiles and greetings of their own as they slowly moved towards Izuku, even Iida walked up to him and gave him his own greeting before standing back, content to watch as crowds come and go from the trains. Izumi stared at the spectacled bluenette with an expression of slight sadness.

Perhaps it was understandable that his classmates would want to give him space after the incident with his brother, which most likely everybody had heard of due to the constant and painful reminders of the reporters of the news. He stood alone, holding his numbered suitcase within his palm's grasp, his navy blue eyes watched the world around him pass by, glazed and unresponsive. The scene painfully reminded him of Izuku as well as his mother when he was but a child, Izumi could feel his heartstrings tighten slightly as the blue-haired student blinked in slight surprise as a train rushed by, as if he had woken up from a small nightmare.

The fear but vengeful resolve in his eyes were small but evident to the third year's sharp amber eyes.

"Yo, Midoriya!" A spiky red-haired boy with sharpened teeth and a bright smile greeted the broccoli haired boy as he bumped Izuku's fist, who happily obliges to the friendly gesture. Uraraka comes and joins in soon after she notices his arrival before deciding to talk with Izuku to pass the time as the trains would come from their last stations, most likely due to Iida being somewhat... despondent in her small conversation with him, which luckily she expressed her concerns to the boy who nods in agreement before many of their friends add their own two cents into the conversation before agreeing on trying to make their usually bright and energetic class president return back to his normal, strict but caring state.

It made Izumi happy that Iida's friends had cared so deeply for him, having someone close to you be willing to catch you fall, to want to bring you back up again, to care for you when you are at a sore spot in life was something that people could only come to recognize and appreciate when they needed a helping hand. Though on another note, the spectacle of seeing Izuku smile wholeheartedly around his classmates, had made him happier than he could imagine, while it may not be an entirely new sight, it was more than always welcome, and definitely deserved in Izumi's eyes. It also appeared that Nejire agreed with his unspoken sentiments as she smiled happily before leaning her head onto Izumi's shoulder and embrace, to which his arm was still fastened securely around her waist. Many of the third year's student's classmates had noticed the pair and waved the two over to them.

"Hey, Midori! Nejire!" An energetic redhead shouted, waving to the two third years. The two looked at each other before chuckling slightly as they recognized the energy of the voice belonging to that of Class 3-A's Akiyama. Izumi nodded towards the Nejire, seemingly asking her to go ahead of him. She responded with a small nod before sparing him a concerned but trusting smile, to which he smiled back before pecking her lightly on her lips which made her giggle in delight. Izumi then walked over to his brother as well as Uraraka, who noticed his approach with smiles on both their faces.

"Hey, you two." He greeted casually before turning his attention towards the rosy-cheeked brunette. "Uraraka it's good to see you again, are you excited for your field training?" He asked her to which she replied with an affirmative nod.

"Mhm! I chose to go to Gunhead's agency, I'm hoping to be able to learn some of his martial arts to help utilize my quirk more effectively!" She cheerfully explained, to which Izumi widened his eyes in surprise. Considering how big of a fan Uraraka was of Thirteen, Izumi would have assumed that she would have picked their agency, it was on her list of scouted agencies after all; though he smiled in understanding as having martial art training would most definitely be an asset for her, considering the pre-requisites of her zero-gravity quirk to activate. Her display against Bakugo had shown that the girl definitely had a lot of potential with close quarters combat, and Gun Head's famous technique could possibly help her close the gap to victory the next time around.

"Huh, really? That sounds cool, I wish you luck in your _Endeavors_ , Uraraka san." He said with a cheeky smirk, to which Izuku and Uraraka burst into laughter, while there were some groans from some of the other students around him. It wasn't particularly often which Izumi made jokes, but the ones he usually made were pretty cheesy. While most people just sighed and groaned, Izuku's as well as Uraraka, Togata, Tamaki and especially Nejire's smiles and laughs were all he really cared about. The three continued to talk for a good amount of time, often accompanied by a few other students who wished to ask Izumi confirmation of notes on the field workouts, to which he happily answered all of their questions. Despite all of this, Izumi made sure to keep an eye on Iida closely, who appeared to be absorbed in thought. He sighed before turning back to Izuku and Uraraka, who appeared to be on the same page as him.

"Iida's kinda out of it, don't you guys think?" He asked seriously, the two in response trade concerned looks before the three turned their attention towards Iida, who idly waited for the next train to arrive by a support pillar. There were a few of his classmates who had walked up to him and attempted to initiate a conversation, though those that broke through only lasted for about half a second or so before he waves them off and returns to his surveillance of the train reports that hung scattered around the complex. Izuku nodded, "Mm, it's rather unusual that he's so... quiet. Something's eating away at him, though it's most likely the news of his brother." Uraraka agreed with a saddened frown, feeling guilty that she couldn't do much for him since she couldn't really relate to the feeling at all.

"But what can we do, he'll most likely just shut us down like he did the others..." Uraraka said quietly, quickly losing hope. She quickly shook her head to dismiss those thoughts as a bright spark of determination flashed in her eyes, "No, we should talk to him! Even if he tries to push us away, we have to do our best to support him!" She proposed as Izuku nodded, seemingly livening at the brunette's mood shift.

"Yeah, of course. He's our friend, and he needs our help..." His expression fell as he spared another glance towards his friend. It was obvious that the two showed great concern towards their good friend, Izumi was aware of how the three stuck together as a trio group often and were near inseparable. "I just hope..." The amber-eyed student held his shoulder lightly to gain Izuku's attention before smiling softly. As Izuku's brother, he believed that a frown didn't suit the emerald-eyed boy, so he just needed a little push in the right direction.

"Don't worry, your words will reach him, I have faith that they will." Izuku looked up at him with an expression of slight surprise, before his tight-lipped frown slowly grew into a genuine and appreciative smile. Izuku had a mysterious way with words that helped comfort those who are on the receiving end of his kindness, Izumi was no exception to this. His words were honest and spoken truly from the heart, it gave him the strength of his past experiences to add to his wisdom, as well as his resolve and unyielding will to shy away from someone who is hurting badly like Iida is, his match against Todoroki in the sports festival only set that fact in stone. it was why Izumi felt confident that Izuku would get through to their troubled friend as the two walked off in Iida's direction, both with a confident light in their eyes.

With that out of the way, all he could really do was wait for the two to return. He walked over to where the third years gathered but sent Todoroki a slight wave when he had the chance. Much to his surprise, though also relief, the dual-colour haired boy smiled slightly and nodded. He was used to the emotionless nod, but the smile was like a cherry on top for him.

It definitely suits him, he should do it more often.

Izumi had planned on talking to Iida as well, though he decided that it would be best to let his brother and his friend handle Iida's initial walls. He knew that it wouldn't be as simple as changing his mind just like that, vengeance and hatred were powerful motivators that drove many into committing acts which would scar them for life. It was Iida's choice to pick which path he goes through, all he could really do was give him another route to follow.

"Hey guys, what's up?" He asked his group of friends and classmates alike who greeted him with a soft smile.

"Nothin' much, we'll probably just be doing some regular patrols and stuff on the routine at the Pillarmen's office." A boy with messy brown hair replied with a small smile. Izumi nodded in understanding. "I guess that's to be expected Fukutsu, there haven't been too many reports on any major crimes, other than that of Stain in Hosu city." He nodded in kind as a response. From beside them, a student with raven black hair and storm grey eyes nodded before fishing out their notebook from their pocket, accompanied by a pen and proceeded to write on it before revealing what they had intended to say.

"Yes, I'd suspect that our duties within our respective agencies would most likely be uneventful, apart from the occasional crime here and there." Beside him, a girl with grey skin, blue eyes, and shock white hair nodded in agreement.

The group continued to talk as Togata and Tamaki arrived at the station soon after, due to their train leaving a bit later than Izumi and Nejire's but they wanted to say their farewells.

A few moments worth of waiting later, Izumi spotted the familiar heads of Izuku and Uraraka making their way back to him with unsure and grim expressions on their faces, looking beyond them, he spotted Iida walking away. Preparing for the worst, he walked up to them with a worried expression on his face. "What happened?" He said quietly as the two stood before him, their eyes averting from his own.

"I'm... not sure..."

* * *

 **Midoriya Apartment**

After a long hard day at work, Inko sighed as she walked down the well-lit halls of the apartment complex which she as well as her two children shared a residential home within its confines. Her footsteps were weary but paced evenly and steady; Her tired green eyes were kept to the floor as she idly thought about what she should cook for dinner.

 _Hmm, maybe Tonkatsu?... I'm sure Izuku would like that, and I'm pretty sure Izumi wouldn't mind it either..._

She stopped upon recognizing a familiar number plate gleam within the corner of her eyes. Turning to look at it, a soft smile appeared on her face as she realized that she had made it home. She walked closer to the wooden door, the gleaming brass doorknob shined invitingly to her as she then dug around her purse for the apartment keys. A small feeling of relief washed over her as she recognized the familiar rattling of metal that rung out with her index finger curled around a small metal loop. Fishing out the item, her hand wrapped comfortably around its cool exterior before she inserted the small key into the matching sheath of the key. After a small click could be heard, Inko turned the knob to open the gateway into her home.

"I'm home!" She greeted, only to be met with an empty and eerie silence as she confines of the house was shadowed in a veil of darkness. The faint outlines and traces of colour from the occasional tabletop and glass shone like a beacon within the darkness thanks to the curtain of light that shone from the doorway. A small frown overtook her face as she sighed once more, turning to the side of the doorframe she rested her fingertip upon a switch before pressing it down. She stared at the room that surrounded her, now illuminated with bright but modest colours. Treading into the next dark gateway, Inko flipped another switch to light up the apartment's living room.

It was empty as well.

"That's right... they're away..." She muttered as she exhaled a shaky breath, walking over to the furnished couch that typically fit her and her two sons together. She plopped onto it's soft and comfortable embrace, cushioning her fall as she stared at the blank white ceiling that hung above her. The world moved so slowly in her eyes; the place she calls home felt so hollow... so empty. Back when Izumi was first sent out on his internship, she felt as if a part of her had gone missing. Of course, she was sure to have him keep updates with her concerning his safety like any other mother would, but she missed having him around the house, whether it be cooking with her, or just have a small chat. At least she had Izuku keep her company while he was away, his cheery and kind attitude, as well as that bright freckled smile he had on his face, would always brighten her day when she arrived home.

But now, they weren't here. In her eyes, they were growing up too fast for her to keep up with.

Inko turned her head to the side, her eyes glazing over the small tabletop that sat beside her. Her eyes finally resting upon an image of their full family. Inko and Hisashi stood behind their two children and Izuku within Inko's arms. She sat up slowly and leaned her body over to reach it. Holding it gingerly, she rubbed the specks of dirt that stained the image of their whole family. "Even if we aren't together, I'm still proud of you, my baby boys..." She says to herself as she wipes a tear from her eyes. Today marked the first day of a long week, in which she would be truly living alone.

As her eyes traced over the image, her breath hitches upon looking at the boy that stood beside Izumi. The two boys that sat in front of their parents were at the age of three, though in comparison to Izumi, the boy inherited more of his father's traits more than Inko's. The two shared an extremely similar appearance to each other, the only difference being the shade of his hair being pure black than Izumi's storm of green and black. That fact alone was thanks to the fact that the two were conceived as twins, which was a surprise but not unwelcome change in Inko and Hisashi's life. His shining orange eyes shined brightly beside Izumi's own as he wrapped his arm around his brother, his smile radiating a familiar warmth.

But that warmth felt bittersweet now.

"My son..." Inko choked out in quiet whispers as she held the picture close to her chest.

Unbeknownst to her, there was someone who was watching from the shadows of a tall building which was stationed parallel to the apartment complex. A black cloak was draped over their body as they watched Inko from behind an emotionless and slick cold black mask. Behind them were icy blue eyes, watching her curiously, and strangely enough, slight regret. The figure took off their mask, rubbing the bridge between their brows in thought with a heavy sigh. Their eyes retreated to the sliding window door frame that led to the balcony of the apartment of which Inko lived in. Blinking, the figure took in all they needed to know before standing up from their crouching position. They turned their head towards the full front of the moon, shining down on them like a limelight. Grunting, the figure licked their thumb and lift it into the air. A soft breeze passed by that led towards the direction of Inko's apartment, it was soft, but it would suffice for now. Drawing their band back to their side, the cloak figure's body slowly melted, their form and structure collapsing into a more transparent to clear liquid which puddled with a soft splash upon the building's worn rooftop.

The night's wind chilled the body of water's core, but they didn't care for slight annoyances. It proceeded to swirl around in a circular motion before springing itself up into the air once it had obtained enough momentum to propel it forward, the air friction created ripples upon it's exterior but it continued its approach of the balcony's railing. Despite the incredible speed in which it travelled at, the puddle attached itself safely on the steel railing with as much noise as a small raindrop, coiling itself along the length of the metal before slipping through the small gap of the door.

Reaching the insides of her home, they could overhear Inko's small sniffles as she sat there, weeping on the couch, clutching what appeared to be a frame of something close to her chest. The puddle traversed around the apartment, careful not to make any sudden movements or noticeable noise to alert Inko, as well as to pick up any traces of water that may attack onto the occasional carpet, but there was luckily a good amount of glazed wood flooring for them to travel around safely on. Reaching a dark hallway that was connected to the living room, the puddle of water restructured its fluid body to that of its original form.

A small sigh is drawn from their lips, along with the slight shudder that emanated from their core as they turned their head of raven black hair around to observe their current surroundings. An eerie chill ran down their spines as they turned they took calm and cautious steps deeper and deeper into the dimly lit and narrow abyss. Their footsteps echoed quietly against the wooden floorboards that lay against their bare feet, with the echoes of noise weakening around the frame of the five rooms that were spread across the hallway.

Their footsteps stop upon noticing a peculiar nameplate that hung at eye level from beside them. A frown fell upon their face as they noticed that it was an All Might themed nameplate, but their blue eyes widened slightly upon reading the name that was written upon it.

"Izuku..."

A flash of pain surges through their head as images flash within the core of their mind. Their breathing becomes uneven as they stumble momentarily, which unfortunately caught the attention of the small woman that was sat in the lounge.

"W-what was t-that?" Her voice echoed from the bright light that shone at the end of the hallway. The figure cursed under their breath as they quickly collapsed into a puddle of water before jumping into an empty vase. Before long, they could feel the vibrations of footsteps approaching them as a shadow loomed from the entrance of the hall. Inko stood there with a slightly confused and somewhat fearful expression on her face as she held her hands close to her chest, likely to keep herself calm.

"H-hello?... Izumi?... Izuku?" She whispered, only to be met with silence. Her emerald green eyes scanned the immediate area with her breath hitching slightly before she took in a deep breath and chuckled sadly. "Heh, what am I talking about... they're not here now... they're away..." She reassured herself as she turned back to retrace her steps back to the lounge. After hearing the familiar plop of the couch, the puddle slowly drew itself from it's hiding spot to materialize in the middle of the hallway, a sad expression on their face.

They look back at the rest of the unexplored territory that was organized behind them, a grimace on their face. They turned their body around and proceeded to walk forward before they stop abruptly. They stood there, silent before they shook their head.

"Enough of this already... I can't dwell on the past anymore... I... have a job to do." They whispered, their hand clenching beside them as they melted back into a puddle of water. The river progressed towards the light as they felt a small vibration head toward a direction away from them. Forming their head, they looked to find the faint image of Inko walking into what appeared to be the kitchen that was located near the entrance of the apartment.

Deciding to approach carefully, they lined themselves along the corners of the walls that were beside them, slowly gathering near the entrance of the kitchen. The head of the puddle stopped upon reaching their intended destination and waited, before tapping slightly against the wall quietly enough to not arouse suspicion from the already alert woman. They could feel the small vibrations that stemmed from the objects that were in direct contact with the walls and the floors to a certain degree, with what was most likely Inko at the sink.

Their suspicions were confirmed upon hearing a small clink proceeded by the running of water. Following that was the stream of water being contained within a glass cup. A mental sigh passed through their mind as they formed from behind her, careful not to disturb her or make any moves that would cause any unneeded alertion of surrounding neighbours. They stood there and watched her as she stared down on her glass for a moment before drinking it. The figure could tell that her pulses calmed upon doing so, causing them to look at her with an expression of apology.

She drew the glass from her lips as it was held tightly within her grasp. She let out a pent-up sigh before rubbing her forehead briefly and slowly turning around.

The glass shatters as she looks at the figure that stood before her, her blank expression slowly grows into one of immediate fear, while the cloaked figure that stood in front of her merely looks down to meet her emerald green eyes with their own blue ones.

"It's been a long time, Inko Midoriya."

She was about to let out a scream, but the figure was quick to prevent her from doing that, as their hand immediately morphed into a spout of water, which quickly covered her mouth. She looked at him with wide eyes, tears dripping down from her face. They had to fight back the urge to grimace, a woman like her didn't deserve to have this done to her, she had already gone through too much.

They averted their gaze from her's guiltily, but there was still the glaring fact that they needed to control the situation quickly. "Please, don't make any rash moves... We wouldn't want me to do something that I might have to add to my list of regrets..." Her eyes widen further before she looked down to the floor. Soon after, she looks up at them and nods slowly, causing them to release the seal of water from her mouth, causing her to cough slightly. The figure frowned and drew their hand forward, as small particles of water were drawn from her mouth, and back into his reformed hand. She could only watch them with a nervous look of concern, but the only words that could escape her lips was the topic of the large elephant in the room.

"W-who a-are y-you?" She whispered quietly. Despite the fact that she wasn't entirely expecting an answer, they sighed before looking away, seemingly in thought for a moment before they drew their hand to their face.

 _*Click*_

Her eyes could only widen upon seeing who was beneath the covers that hid their face. Beneath the mask was a young man, no older than seventeen. He had a fair complexion with a head of medium length raven hair. Their icy blue eyes stared deeply into her green ones as he shared an uncanny resemblance... to... Izumi.

"N-no... it... it can't be..." Tears started to fall from her eyes as she choked on her own words. Long and withered memories resurfaced, blooming into a painful plague that spread throughout her mind. The cracked image of a raven-haired boy with sharp amber-orange eyes flooded the haunting images, causing her to fall to her knees. The boy before her remained silent, their mask held within their hand as they stood there, watching her. Seemingly bracing themselves for what was to come next.

"M-Mizu?..." She called out, her hand outstretched towards him as he flinched upon hearing her call his name. He had expected anger, discord, and most of all, fear. Instead, all he could sense was the same painful tone of motherly love and confusion. Mizu grit his teeth as he could only watch her

"I'm sorry for this, truly. I never meant for this to happen." He whispered quietly.

Before she knew it, Inko's world turned into that of darkness.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Sorry again that this chapter was pretty late to get released, and I'm sorry that the train station scene was pretty lacklustre. I was pretty unmotivated to do Izumi's talk with Iida, but I plan on doing that sometime later as a flashback possibly. So I decided to leave it there for now... but I'm also sad that I couldn't do any cute fluff scenes with Nejire and Izumi on the train (now that I think of it, Todoroki is probably riding the train with them, so it might be interesting to see his reaction of the pair) though, it'd probably be fun to do more interactions with some of the Class 3-A OCs, so there's a possibility that I might do that in the next chapter!**

 **(Oh, and yes, the difference of eye colour on Mizu was intentional)**

 **Just as a note, I wrote maybe around half of this in an entire burst, and as of finishing this, it's around 1 am, so I hope you can forgive me if the chapter isn't as good as I wanted it to be. I also hope you guys can help point out some spelling mistakes if I missed any.**

 **Thanks for reading! and thank you all for staying patient with me, I can't thank you guys enough for that.**

 **Ignis**


	19. The Hero Killer

**Bullet Train - Destination: Hosu City**

There wasn't much that Izumi could say right now. His boss, Enji Todoroki, or rather Endeavor had just organized a trip to Hosu city with plans to take down the terrorist and infamous hero killer: Stain.

The group in which he had assembled for the mission was relatively small as it mostly consisted of Endeavor himself, Izumi and Shoto. He had previously explained within his office that he had wished to give Shoto more experience within the world of the pro heroes, though Izumi was against the idea of having him handle a villain who was rumoured to be extremely strong, agile and smart, Endeavor had assured him, or rather told him that he wasn't meant to be directly involved within the fight, if anything happened to him, then Endeavor would cover all of the expenses, which would be considered to be rather cold since he was Shoto's parent, but he _was_ Shoto's parent and protector. He had a duty to see to it that Shoto was safe during his fieldwork training, it was much different from that of a proper internship in which they partake within much more dangerous activities and are much more involved as by then, they would have acquired their hero licence, in which they would be legally allowed to use their quicks as they see fit against those who would disrupt the peace that they all had been fighting for.

It had been a few days in which Izumi and Shoto had stayed within the confines of the Endeavor hero agency. Most agencies that had agreed to take on students from various schools that worked to develop the next generation of heroes to have sorted out hospitable arrangements for the interns to rest and stay within. It was primarily for the purpose that it could potentially prove to be time-consuming if a student were to travel many hours a day just to reach their allocated agency and then travel a few more hours back after their work is done to go home and rest. It was simply tiring, boring and costed money. Of course, no-one knew if Yuuei could actually afford to pay for all of the transportation bills, though from what Yuuei had made and developed over the past few years as well as the scale of their operations, many considered that they probably could pay off the massive amount of money, though most had high hopes that they were using the money in which they had saved to develop the school's resources, though many must consider the first option of time consumption to factor heavily into their reasoning as many of the teachers in Yuuei were mostly working for the sake of teaching instead of what they could earn, which many students had come to appreciate.

The Endeavor hero agency was rather large and well furnished as it resided within a rather large and modern skyscraper. It had much room to spare, though that didn't mean that Endeavor hadn't put it to good use. Whether it be accommodation for his sidekicks or facilities towards many of his other hobbies, in which he had a surprising amount of, or focuses on research, quirk analysis, quirk training and physical training. The man was smart, he came up with many ways of learning how to improve oneself both physically and mentally through various means. He could potentially be considered a professor in the field of quirks as he is quick to analyze and combat against unique quirks relatively quickly, at least when he isn't pummeling said opponents with his brute force and sheer difference in skill and experience. Despite his methods of doing so with his own family being more experimental and downright wrong, only a select few actually knew about this. Of course, this information was kept privvy and was only granted to those whom he could truly come to trust as dangerous information such as this would no doubt ruin Endeavor's image as a hero. Of course, Izumi knew that what he did in the past was wrong, he just needed a helping hand. It was why he decided to stay even after he knew of his, as well as Shoto's past as the two would often come to meet. Then again, he was always met with a cold glare upon their initial encounters.

It was understandable for someone like him. To meet someone who only knew one side of him was someone who would only see them and their family as freaks once they saw their true light. Yet his opinion of the amber-eyed senior quickly changed upon understanding his reasons for staying, even after Endeavor had revealed their past to them. The two had slowly grown into a more mutual and friendly platonic type of relationship as Izumi had often opted to help out with some of their... family issues, namely, helping Endeavor become slightly more understanding and emotive to their children and slowly helped their mother recover her shattered heart and mind. It wasn't easy for him to accomplish such tasks as it took two years for him to be able to come this far, and he was more than grateful for it.

The trio was currently sat within a bullet train headed for Hosu city. Izumi and Todoroki had sat on one side while Endeavor sat at the other end as the train's seating arrangements were made for four at a table. Of course, Endeavor had always preferred the finest when it came to just about everything, that included transportation as well. The bullet train was quite a bit more expensive than that of many others as he recalled most other bullet trains having a more compact layout to serve more people on a ride, whereas this train used a lot more room for a lot fewer people. Expensive privileges were something that Izumi wasn't particularly used to at first, he was more rather used to just being normal, or cheap as he had often worked to help his mother provide for their family. Though as time passed, he supposed that he simply got used to it. Of course, he wouldn't have changes in his preferences and standards for certain things, though he had ensured that he did his best to continue being himself and not forget why he settles for normal instead of rich. It was something that would only prove to make his life harder if he were to let money take over him. Though Endeavor and Shoto didn't particularly mind it as well as they were simply used to this lifestyle, though thankfully Todoroki often settled for normal as well instead of choosing to be another one of those rich kids.

Shoto and Izumi had made short and pleasant conversations during the trip while Endeavor had sat in his seat, reading an article off of an issued newspaper from the train attendants in hopes of acquiring more information that could potentially be published, though more likely than not, most of the information that the three had covered a wide range of sources, so it was unlikely that they had anything new, though it wouldn't hurt to check. Besides, he could also check the weather forecast and some other random articles of news to pass the time. When they weren't immersed in small talk, they had often turned to either watching the world pass outside, taking a nap, or chatting with their friends and family. In Izumi's case, he had already texted Izuku a while back as to catch up on his first experiences with his work study. He was glad to see that choosing to train with Gran Torino had allowed him to start developing and using One for All at a much more manageable rate rather than needing to sacrifice a part of his body every time he used it. Though he did show concern upon seeing that he had yet to actually gain any experience with a usual agency like routines such as patrols, missions and the basic understanding of how they functioned. Though his concerns were relieved upon finding that Gran Torino had scheduled a trip somewhere to help him with said routines... at least excluding how agencies functioned as the man was apparently a hero for the sake of being able to use his quirk freely. He couldn't exactly blame him for that, though it was necessary that people should prove themselves worthy to be able to use their quirk freely as having a licence would prove to the world that they are capable of using their quirk without bringing other's harm. It's much of the opposite in terms of Villains as they use their quirks for the same reason, or they desire something and would have to resort to taking it as their intentions primarily follow the dark side of a quirk based society.

Though he could feel the fear rising within his chest upon learning that his brother was set to travel to Hosu city as well. As much as he hated to admit it and tell him otherwise, he couldn't stop him or Gran Torino from doing so. He could only hope that Gran Torino is able to protect Izuku from any harm, and if he does succumb to any major injuries... well, let's say that he would like to have more than a word with the man. Then again, Izumi would also most likely be within the vicinity, so he could have the chance to do so and protect his brother the best he can.

Though something else that left a lump rising through his throat was the lack of responses that he got from his mother. While the first day of his internship was full of messages, constantly confirming that he was okay or when she needed someone to talk to in which he was happy to do so for her, but it scared him that she didn't send him a text of goodnight. Perhaps it was childish sure, but it was a way that let both sides of the conversation know that they were safe. To know that she didn't say it would either suggest that she was busy, or... well, he didn't want to think of the latter options. His fears only continued to grow upon the next few days with absolutely no response. It had appeared that Izuku had also noticed this and the two had expressed their concerns to one another. The two had discussed this for a good while but eventually decided that it would be best to allow themselves a break from their internships to go home early to check on their mother. They had also asked of All Might to check on her to which he replied that he would be able to do so later on the evening as he was busy teaching a few other second and third-year classes who had their internships postponed for now, or was required at home for personal or family matters. He couldn't help but feel nervous about the whole thing, he could only hope that she was okay.

At the current moment, he was participating within the group chat for their class 3-A, along with having his headphones plugged in while listening to music.

[ **Class 3-A Chatroom - *12 people are active*** ]

Clay: _Hey guys, how's everybody's day? Interesting?_

TerraF: _Good, I guess._

Lemillion: _Quite great!_

Sun Eater: _Nothing much..._

Nejire Chan: _It's been great!_

Iwaizumi: _Pretty good._

Okami: _It's been quite pleasant, nothing too out of the ordinary._

Aki: _Pretty Boring!_

Tsukki: _Quite splendid, I found quite a peculiar and gorgeous rock the other day! I have yet to actually study it, but perhaps it's a hidden gem!_

NekoHimeChunchuniKawaiiNoWaifuOneesanNoLaifu Kun: _Pretty lit, got to take down some drug dealers around the neighbourhood block... though I didn't have much time to read any manga or anime... so I guess it isn't that great either._ （︶︿︶）

Mythra: _I still don't understand how you could have a contact name that long Monoke san..._ ( _•_•_ )

Mythra: _But otherwise it has been uneventful._

NekoHimeChunchuniKawaiiNoWaifuOneesanNoLaifu Kun: _Huehuehue, you've yet to see my full power Hikari san! This isn't even my final form!_

Mythra: _I'd rather not, thank you._

PaintToolSai: _Well spent I'd say._

Clay: _Sounds good everybody. Now, I hopped on cuz I was getting kind of bored of not really having anything to do here, so let's hear some stories about some new interns, huh?_

Lemillion: _Sounds like a good idea! Though Sir Nighteye hasn't taken anybody new yet, so it's kind of dull here when we're only left with paperwork... though Centipeder and Bubble girl are always fun to be around._

 _TerraF: Well, we did get this girl with that Vine hair quirk that was from the sports festival. Shiozaki is her name, I believe. She's kind of... well, humble and courteous person. Though it's amusing to see her comment on how ruthless some of the other sidekicks that work here under Kamui woods' agency._

Iwaizumi: _We got Todoroki to join our agency, he's always a fun kid to be around._

NekoHimeChunchuniKawaiiNoWaifuOneesanNoLaifu Kun: _Well yeah, isn't Endeavor his dad or something?_

Iwaizumi: _Yeah, but they've got some family issues that they'd rather not spread to the public. It's nothing too bad, but I'm surprised that he actually accepted his offer to join. Then again, there isn't really anyone besides his dad who could really help him with his fire quirk._

Lemillion: _Haha, yeah. I think Midoriya is a good example of that._

Nejire Chan: _I think so too! It was a surprise to hear that you even had a fire quirk when you revealed it to us on the latter half of last year._

Iwaizumi: _Guys..._ (・_・)

Aki: _Aah, I wish we had someone with a cool quirk like him at our agency! It's pretty dull here... I bet Hado would have a buttload of questions to ask of him._

Nejire Chan: _Yeah! Like how did he get that scar on his face? Or what is his mother like? What was her quirk? What is the extent of his powers? Does he like All Might better or Endeavor? What happens when he puts an ice cube in his mouth?_ _Does it freeze or melt? Can you instantly freeze liquids like a soda on his right side? Can he cook things like an egg on his left side?_

Nejire Chan: _Aaah, there's so much to ask!_ ＼( °□° )／

Lemillion: _Haha, yes! Those are some questions that I am curious about as well._

Aki: _Hehe, you might want to stop Nejire, your boyfriend might get jealous._ ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Nejire Chan: _Aah, I'm sorry Izumi!_ (／TT ^ TT)／

Iwaizumi: _It's okay Nejire._ (・ᴗ・)

Iwaizumi: _I'm happy to answer your questions the best I can when we get the chance, though I can only hope that I'll actually be able to answer most of them._

Iwaizumi: _Actually, Shoto is right beside me so I guess I can get him involved as well._

Nejire Chan: _Yay, thank you, dear!_ (／^3^)／

Iwaizumi: _It's alright._ (❛ ᴗ ❛)

Aki: _Asbfhf So cute!_ (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻

NekoHimeChunchuniKawaiiNoWaifuOneesanNoLaifu Kun: _This feels like a romance anime... all we need now is some Yaoi! Togata, Tamaki, get on it!_

Sun Eater: _Wwhwhat?_

Aki: _Hehe, he even finds a way to stutter while texting, how cute._ (^ᴥ^)

Mythra: _Yuki! That's inappropriate._ (ಠ_ಠ)

Lemillion: _Monoke san, I know that the two of us are childhood friends and all, but you can't just make people start dating just like that to fulfil your fantasies._

NekoHimeChunchuniKawaiiNoWaifuOneesanNoLaifu Kun: _Fine... Though one can only dream._

NekoHimeChunchuniKawaiiNoWaifuOneesanNoLaifu Kun: _Ah, I just got an idea for a fanfiction!_

Lemillion: _Hahaha._

Sun Eater: _Uuuuh_...

NekoHimeChunchuniKawaiiNoWaifuOneesanNoLaifu Kun: _Anyways, have you guys heard of the news on the Hero Killer? He seems to be getting pretty popular lately, especially after downing that Ingenium guy. Besides, wasn't his brother attending Yuuei as well?_

Iwaizumi: _Yeah, he's probably really shaken up from it. He's actually in my brother's class and was known to be quite diligent and smart... but, well... he's apparently been acting a bit off recently. He had even applied to work in an agency within Hosu._

Okami: _I see, that is a problem indeed... Say, is anyone headed to Hosu city?_

Iwaizumi: _I am currently on a bullet train there, so yes._

Lemillion: _Woah really? Wow Midoriya san, what are you guys doing over there? Don't tell me Endeavor wants to actually take Stain down?_

Iwaizumi: _Actually, he is._

Clay: _Seriously?! Didn't you say that he had his son as an intern?_

Iwaizumi: _Yeah. He's coming with us._

Mythra: _What?!_

Lemillion: _Woah, really?_

Okami: _What?!_

Clay: _What?!_

Aki: _What?!_

PaintToolSai: _Experience is supposedly something that can be gained from capturing a target as powerful as Stain is, though I think that this is kind of going a bit far._

Aki: _Even Sai agrees!_

Iwaizumi: _Believe me, I didn't agree with it either._

TerraF: _Well, we can only wish you luck Midoriya._

Mythra: _Yes, we all wish that you live through this, so good luck._

Sun Eater: _Midoriya is strong, I think he'll be able to pull through this. Though I can only say that you should be careful._

Nejire Chan: _Izumi will win! We just have to have faith that he does!_ (／ĭ ^ ĭ)／

Lemillion: _Yeah, I agree with Hado! He's plenty strong to take him on, though I have to agree with Tamaki as well._

NekoHimeChunchuniKawaiiNoWaifuOneesanNoLaifu Kun: _Kick his ass!_

Aki: _Yeah! Beat that f*(ker into the ground!"_

Mythra: _Language!_

Iwaizumi: _Hehe, thanks, guys. I'll do my best to not disappoint._

Okami: _Have you guys made up a plan yet? It would be unwise to go in unprepared._

Mythra: _I agree with Okami, it's said that he often utilizes swords and knives from what they could gather from his victim's corpses, so I think that your electrokinetic quirk would be a good matchup against him._

Iwaizumi: _I had the same thought, though I'd imagine that his quirk would also come to play as a big factor and possibility. We still don't know what it actually is, besides, if he is to use close range weaponry, he must be incredibly agile as well._

NekoHimeChunchuniKawaiiNoWaifuOneesanNoLaifu Kun: _Can't you go all super saiyan and move really fast?_

Iwaizumi: _Yeah, I can, though entering that state quickly depletes my stamina and could potentially fry my nerves again if I'm not careful, so I should be careful in using it. Even if it's already been a month, I'd rather not spend another few days in the infirmary._

Iwaizumi: _Endeavor and I are making plans and strategies on how to beat him. We're gathering up as much information that we can gather, though it's scarce. All we can do is try to limit his options and attempt to overwhelm him with numbers as it is the most likely strategy to lead us to victory... I can only hope that it's enough._

A sigh escapes his lips as he reread the last line he made.

 _"I can only hope that it's enough."_

He could really only hope that what he and Endeavor were doing was enough. Stain was still a villain that kept his secrets in the dark, though we were able to learn to target most of his preferred areas to hunt, bring in abandoned and quiet alleyways in which he wouldn't attract a lot of attention. He was always afraid of large crowds, so the two had figured that his quirk was most likely suited for handling heroes in one on one situations. There was the pattern in which he never picked off two or more people within a given location at a given time. Any murder sprees were always spread apart from each other. Even if Stain was a dangerous villain, he was a threat that people couldn't simply ignore anymore, and Endeavor understood that. It was why he had set out on going to Hosu city in the first place. Perhaps from the perspective of another person's viewpoint, the mere size of Endeavor's party would be considered to be lacking, possibly feigning cockiness or arrogance, but Izumi knew that there was more to it than that. The man wasn't the second place hero for no reason, he had to be smart to handle various types of villains. He knew what he was doing, and Izumi had to trust him.

Of course, Izumi had to do his part as well as he was a fundamental piece in taking down Stain. Endeavor had personally trained Izumi for two full years to raise him to be where he was now, and he was more than aware of the capabilities, as well as limits of his quirk. He was even aware of his second quirk as he was a primary candidate in learning how to control flames, though more than that, the man was perceptive. He had a keen eye for talent and was able to tell of any solutions that would resolve to near impossible situations given the proper amount of time to think. Even then, he was quick on his feet and quick to act, and most of all, he wasn't one to let his guard down.

The bullet train's intercom speaker blared to life suddenly by the train's conductor's voice, though it was preceded by a soft and mellow sound to gain the passenger's attention. "Attention all passengers, we will be arriving at our destination Hosu City within an hour and a half by our calculations. We thank you again for boarding our train and we hope you have a good night." With that, the message had cut out smoothly, passengers returning their attention back to their devices. Izumi could only sigh at the imminent reminder of the situation he would be put in. Sure, Stain was most likely not going to be one of the toughest enemies he had faced so far, though the pressure that Izuku, Shoto and Iida may be involved had weighed on his mind. He and Endeavor were responsible for protecting them, he couldn't afford to lose them to the likes of Stain. Looking out the window, he could see the night sky start to settle in.

Soft music started playing from his phone, accompanied by light vibrations which caught his attention. The notification was different from that of the group chat's allocated noise, but rather it was to signify a call. Glazing his eyes over his phone's screen, a small smile formed upon his lips as the name of a familiar bluenette was highlighted on the phone's display.

 **[Caller Request - Nejire Hado]**

 **[Accept] [Deny]**

Izumi could only smile upon seeing the familiar image of Nejire smiling cheerfully, posing for a selfie with Izumi sleeping peacefully on her lap. The image was taken after the first few weeks that the two had started dating, many of which were often spent with long conversations and well-taken naps. It wasn't particularly too often that the two were able to spend time like this as their second year had a rise in Villain activity, causing the both of them to work long hours in their respective agencies. Moments that they could truly rest and enjoy each other's company was something that the two truly cherished. Izumi could only wonder what Nejire would call him for at this current time, after all, he was on the group chat. Seeing no reason to deny her request, he slid his finger towards the accept function, waiting for the call to stabilize the call's connection. Soon enough, he was greeted with the pleasant sight of Nejire sitting in what was most likely one of Ryukyu's office lounges. She appeared to be wearing a light blue t-shirt, though her hero costume was visibly draped over the couch's armrest beside her. Strangely, she didn't appear to be smiling as her lips were formed into a tight line. Her crystal blue eyes stared into his amber ones as he could only smile in greeting with the hopes of making her smile again, luckily, it appeared to have worked as she soon smiled back in response.

"Hey Nejire, what's up?" He had asked her, curious as to what made her this way. The bluenette simply looked at him for a moment, silence fell between the two as Izumi kept maintaining his smile, though it soon turned into a small frown upon seeing the concern on Nejire's face. "Izumi kun _?_ Are you alright?" She had asked him in kind, catching him slightly off. He could only tilt her head as she asked this, her tone had mustered a great amount of concern but he wanted to stay patient and find out what was wrong. "Yeah, I am. Why do you ask? Is something wrong dear?" She seemed to frown more upon doing so, though she mustered a small smile, tilting her head cutely to the side with a small giggle. "Well, you haven't been responding to the group chat, I was getting worried." His eyes widened at that, he couldn't have spaced out that much could he? He certainly wasn't aware of any activity of the group chat. Izumi could only rub the back of his head sheepishly "Oh, sorry about that, I guess I was just thinking about some things." He had admitted sheepishly, causing Nejire to giggle lightly. "Hmm, well, I guess that's alright. But still!..." She had puffed her cheeks out before sighing, her shoulders drooping slightly as she rubbed her arm with her free hand. "tell me... if there's anything wrong, okay?" She had genuinely said with a great deal of care and love. Perhaps the phrase may be commonplace within their relationship, as well as their occupation as heroes, but it meant a great deal to him that she continues to care despite many hardships the two had faced in their lives.

"I'm fine Nejire, really... but thank you... for looking out for me." She could only giggle at that, her radiant smile returning to her face as she grinned at him.

"Hehe, what kind of girlfriend would I be if I didn't do that?" Her laughter seemed to die down, though a soft smile persisted on her pale complexion, her eyes gazing at him fondly and thoughtfully. "Of course I care for you, Izumi. We all do." He smiled calmly, though his appreciation sparkled in his bright and lively amber-eyes.

"And I you, love."

The two continued to make small talk as time moved by. Every passing second meant that his inevitable encounter with stain came closer, though right now, he felt as if he could forget about all of that. Nejire always had an effect on him that always helped him up from his depressed tendencies. Being around her always made him happy, just seeing her radiant smile would brighten the darkest of his days. Even if it sounded sappy, it was the truth. He could always rely on her to be there for him, and he knew that he would always be there for her. "Anyways, what are you doing now? Ryuko's office is pretty inactive at this time of night, so we're primarily doing either patrols or some paperwork. Right now, it's the latter of the two..." She said with faux annoyance while Izumi could only attempt to stifle his chuckles with a hand placed lightly over his mouth.

"Hehe, I'm sorry dear. I hope you're able to finish them in time to get a good night's rest. I wouldn't want you to get sick now, and I'm sure that Ryukyu wouldn't want that either." She could only laugh at that with a bright smile on her face. "Maybe, but then you could just come over here and take care of me!" She joked, causing the two to laugh. "Ah, but then I'd have to do all of your paperwork that you haven't finished doing!" He said, dramatically dragging the back of his hand over his forehead like a damsel in distress... that was if that damsel was a male high school student who had to take care of his sick girlfriend. Nejire pouted and puffed her cheeks in retaliation.

"Don't lie to me Izumi, I know that you'd probably be fine with doing a whole stack of paperwork if Endeavor didn't have a ton of secretaries already working for him." She countered, causing Izumi to snicker. "Maybe... maybe." He said with a so and so gesture. Turning his attention to Endeavor, the man appeared to be deep into the newspaper article that he held within his grasp. Thankfully he had deactivates his flaming attire in which he actually looked somewhat normal. That is if normal means being extremely well built and had a menacing aura around those who he had found annoying. Not wanting to disrupt the man from his devices, he turned back to Nejire, shrugging, though Nejire didn't seem to be satisfied as she took in a deep breath before doing something that a few had dared to do. "Hey, Endeavor! Why don't you give Izumi paperwork, he's more than fine with doing it y'know?!" She had yelled through the phone, causing Izumi to widen his eyes slightly, yet he retained his composure. Many within the carriage that they were in turned to give them strange and curious looks, some were annoyed. He sighed and waved an apology to them, causing the people around them to return back to their own activities without any further trouble. Though what really sold them was Endeavor's solid menacing glare which had shut up any complaints that would only serve to give him a headache. Shoto's heterochromatic eyes were widened slightly as well, though he was in the same boat as Izumi, preferring to keep quiet. Over the time in which Izumi had worked for his father, he was more than aware of her... loud tendencies, though he had slowly grown used to it. After all, he had years worth of practice in tolerating shouting within his household, especially when Natsuo was still around, and Fuyumi was just a drama queen sometimes.

With a greatly annoyed sigh, he sent Nejire a trademark glare her way though she didn't appear to be too fazed by it. She was surprisingly tolerant to most cases of fear and intimidation through the years of enduring many different types of villains and scarring experiences throughout her journey as an aspiring pro hero. Knowing that the bluenette would only serve to cause more annoyances if he weren't to answer, he let out another large sigh before returning his attention back to his newspaper once more. "Midoriya simply doesn't need to waste his time with trivial activities such as those, Hado. I am well aware of his abilities to handle such tasks with relative ease and continuously making him do such tiring tasks would only affect his performance on the field." He had answered with a tone of finality before shutting all sight of him out from the two as he raised his newspaper over his face. Turning his phone back to face her, Izumi could only smile reassuringly as Nejire sighed in annoyance. She would much rather prefer watching over the city blocks, keeping an eye out for any attacks of the sort or villains to appear and not do paperwork at all. Though she didn't want to disappoint Ryuko by being lazy, she owed her too much for that.

"If it makes you feel any better, dear. He still does give me a few papers to file out every so often to ensure that I do not forget the process of completing them." She seemed to smile at his attempt at cheering her up. "Y'know, I have a feeling that you also ask to do some paperwork when you aren't busy." He could only chuckle in return, "I guess I can't deny that it can get kind of boring when I don't have anything scheduled, it's good to keep yourself occupied rather than accomplish nothing, I'd say." She shrugged in response, though she supposed that he did have a point.

As the two continued talking, Endeavor grunted loud enough to gain his and Shoto's attention. His expression was one of absolute seriousness, likely meaning that he wished to speak to us of the topic of what was presumably Stain. Nodding in affirmation, he turned his attention back towards Nejire with an apologetic expression on her face. "I'm sorry, dear, but I'm afraid that I need to go now." She slightly frowned at that but nodded, recovering her smile soon after. "Okay then, I think it's time that I tap out as well." Nejire held up an enthusiastic thumbs up to follow after. "Go get'em, honey! And good luck. Call me when it's over, okay?" He nodded at that with a heartwarming smile. "Of course, I'll see you soon." With that, he moved to end the call, though she spoke once more to say her final words before the call needed to end.

"...Izumi?" She said with a rare amount of seriousness for the bubbly and radiant girl but her face conveyed a calm and earnest smile.

"Yeah?" He had responded, patiently waiting for Nejire to say whatever she had wanted to say to him, his undivided attention on her. Nor to say that she didn't disappoint.

"I love you."

A momentary but comfortable silence fell between the two as Izumi felt a bright and appreciative smile grow on his face as he nodded in response.

"I love you too."

The line went dead upon having the call end. With a sigh, he moved to place his phone within the confines of his pocket before returning his attention back towards Endeavor and Shoto who had waited for him patiently to finish his call with the bluenette.

"Well then, we're good to go."

The three then proceeded to go over the basic facts in which they had gathered thus far. Discussing many possibilities in which the hero killer may act in terms of location or even fighting style based off of the autopsy reports gathered from the fallen heroes who were unlucky enough to face against this rising threat. All of the sources gathered had pointed to the fact that the Hero Killer had liked to eliminate any threat of outside parties potentially interrupting one of his hunts as his targets were often picked off in quiet areas of the city he had chosen to reside in for the time being. It was an interesting fact that many of the cities that Stain had come to temporarily reside in had a massive drop in crime rates, as well as the resolve of heroes to up their game and become stronger for the sake of being able to stop someone like him. There were often messages written in blood spreading his philosophy of how the hero society is now corrupt with those who seek fame and money instead of fulfilling the role of a righteous hero. It was sad that there was some truth to his words, he was aware that there was a great deal of people who could really care less of the people that they had saved, but did so anyways in hopes of living a grander life with the spotlight on them. Despite the many corrupt people who had joined the hero cause, there were still people who embodied many great elements the title of hero represented.

Despite his seemingly grand and righteous ideals, Stain was still a villain. He killed people no less, just to spread a message. Even if his actions were responsible for a generally positive outcome in the hero society, life was meant to be protected, not killed off like they're disposable. Life is meant to be nurtured, it was not meant to be rooted out of the ground just because it wasn't good enough to fit a maniac killer's ideologies, no matter how pure he claims them to be. The world doesn't find peace with violence, there was a reason in which the number one hero All Might had built up the title of the symbol of peace. Though he supposed it was kind of ironic if he thought about that. He had praised the Symbol of Peace so much that he had taken the opposite route in an attempt to reach the same conclusion.

"So our plan is to overwhelm him with numbers then?" Shoto had asked Endeavor, to which the man nodded in confirmation before beginning to explain. "It is likely that he fights within close quarters and quiet areas to avoid alerting any enemies that could potentially overwhelm him. While we do not have the details of his quirk, we can likely assume that it's best suited for close quarters, and his choice of weapons certainly narrows the potential type of quirk in which he has." Izumi nodded before leaning forward on the table. "That's right. Since the blades that he has is most likely more than just for show, we can assume that his quirk is either related to, 1. controlling metal, or at least he can control how it works or even moves. 2. A general but still incredibly dangerous physical enhancement/ augmenting quirk, or 3. It has something to do with drawing blood, which can potentially lead back into the first option as well in some ways. So his blades are generally the biggest warnings that we have to watch out for and it is safe to assume that we should avoid those blades of his the best we can as it is the most likely candidates in what finishes his opponents off, as of the autopsy reports which we have gathered thus far. Of course, we most likely cannot avoid all of the hits as that would just be considered arrogant, but we should set it as a rule that we should keep our eyes peeled."

Endeavor grunted, obviously pleased with Izumi's observation but didn't want to say it out loud. "The three of us are primarily ranged emitter quirk users, though Midoriya here is our main method of taking this Hero Killer out. His paralysis effect is the most effective weapon that we have, and a surprise attack is our best option for doing so, though with that being said, it's likely that he has extremely fast reflexes as even Ingenium had stated that he wasn't even able to get a hit on him during the testimony of which he gave to me when I had visited him, so we can assume that he has his guard up." Izumi and Shoto nodded, though a daunting thought passed through their minds as they turned to look at each other, seemingly thinking of the same thing. Izumi seemed concerned while Shoto was a bit unsure. Knowing that a certain spectacled bluenette could potentially complicate their plans, it was indeed necessary to bring him up. "Endeavor, I think there's another factor in which we need to account for." The man looked up with him, slight annoyance in his expression. Though he was more than aware that an unaccounted factor can ruin a plan like it was a tower of twigs against a rock. "What is it?"

"My classmate. Iida Tenya, our class president." Shoto had answered while his father cocked an eyebrow. "Tenya... huh?" The heterochromatic haired boy nodded in response, "Midoriya had said that he had chosen to work in an agency within Hosu, most likely in order to get revenge for his brother, who is currently in a dire state as you already know." Izumi nodded before continuing. "My brother and I had gone to talk to him while we were waiting for our train to arrive, though I could tell that there was a large amount of grief and anger that was hidden behind the mask that he wore. He's a dangerous determinant in our plan as he could very well go in alone to find and hunt down Stain, against his usual judgement." The crimson haired man dragged a palm over his face, sighing in annoyance. "Great, the last damn thing that we need is a brother on a quest for vengeance, now things are more complicated than they're meant to be... but it was good that you two brought it up... so, good work." Izumi smiled slightly at the man's attempt at praising Shoto which was quite uncommon for him, though his intended recipient only seemed to frown more.

Perhaps they still needed more time.

* * *

 **Hosu City Streets**

The city was alight with the rapidly spreading flames from the ever-growing wrecked pile of cars that lay in the town square. The sky slowly grew cloudy yet brighter than it was before as the lingering embers had taken flight. The terror-filled screams of many innocents were drowned out by the constant yelling of the many pro heroes who had arrived on the scene, the fear evident on their faces, though they had suppressed it for the time being as everyone was within a red zone of a villain attack. Lights had slowly dimmed and faded from the high hung bulbs, though the flames that spread below them had taken their job of illuminating the streets, though their presence brought only chaos and panic. What stood above all else, emerging from the slowly melting mountain heap of scrap metal was a large muscular black figure. The visible visage of the monstrosity's brain squirmed and flopped around before dragging itself back into its comfortable compartment as its body had no qualms with the idea of utter destruction.

 _A nomu..._ A knight in white armour had muttered to themselves in shock upon rounding a corner, only to find the frightful sight of a beast slamming a car against the base of a building in the far distance, it's intended target for the attack had narrowly avoided certain doom as they scurried away fearfully. A civilian it seems, obviously trying to escape wanting no part in handling that thing. Soon after, voices emerged as four people emerged from the ember filled smoke, giving chase to the beast, shouting orders at each other, though the engine quirk could barely discern the words themselves.

The young hero's snapped back into reality upon hearing a loud voice call for him within a close proximity. "Iida, this way! We need to hurry!" A man clad in blue had called out to him from the front, his eyes wide and dire, yet he could see the fire that emanated bravery burst to life. The knight nodded, rushing forward to catch up to his superior. "Yes, sir!" The two continued to run towards the general direction in which the fight took place, though the engine quirk user hadn't bothered to take the lead and pass him as his mind was dealing with some rather unpleasant thoughts. Perhaps it was selfish of him to say, but in chaos like this, the hero killer could easily pick off nearby targets while the spreading chaos had caught everybody else's attention. It was the reason he didn't move to advance forward, seeing as how he was superior in mobility and agility, he felt the need to branch off from Manual. He wanted to leave the situation to the pros while he sought out his object of obsession, though he was held back by his own heroic rationalism and will.

But what scared him was the ever-growing vengeful desire to ignore everything, every sense, every rule he had built up so far to track down the person who had hurt his brother. He was even willing to put the lives of people at stake to claim his vengeance, perhaps the idea of stopping Stain would save his victims from harm, but he felt no guilt in throwing the thought of them away. In his mind, it was just him and the Hero Killer. His fist clenched tightly, his nails slowly digging their way through his navy blue gloves. He ran and ran, but he wasn't getting any closer to the Hero Killer this way, in fact, he was only getting farther from his own personal objective.

 _*BOOM*_ A burst of light had erupted within the distance, the flash had illuminated the large open streets of Hosu for a brief and fleeting moment, overpowering the dark thoughts that slowly ate away at his soul. Iida could only blink in surprise at the jagged lines of orange neon light that danced across the skies, his brow was raised curiously. A loud roar then screeched in retaliation as the monster which he had spotted previously had been seemingly launched into the side of a building, prompting it to stagger but remain standing as traces of neon orange electricity rippled across its tar black skin, disorienting the beast before it was once again struck by a thunderous bolt of lightning, causing it to let out an inhuman scream of pain.

"Weak... you're not like your brother from the USJ." A familiar voice had called out. In a flash, a familiar figure clad in black gear had appeared before them, a storm of green and black hair flowed freely in the wind as they ground their foot into the monster's chest with lightning enhanced strength, earning a pained screech from the Nomu. A dark aura had emanated from the figure above them, their dead amber eyes were devoid of any sort of mercy as they readied their converted staff. Raised and poised in the air, charged to the brim with a crackling and powerful charge of electricity. "You won't be hurting anybody else today."

Before he was about to strike, Iida mindlessly called out to him in surprise, it could have possibly been his antipathy for a person's destruction, no matter how far they're gone. "M-Midoriya?!" The figure flinched slightly at the use of their name, seemingly snapping them out of their murderous trance as their mask turned to face the young hero. "Iida?" Sensing an opportunity, the Nomu raised his arms in an attempt to grapple Izumi, though he was lucky enough to leap out of the way in time, noticing the sudden spike in energy movement within its body. While he fell midair, the amber-eyed hero shifted a few gears in his staff before it quickly reassembled itself back to its original form of a bow. Gears and metal pieces moved quickly before a small whirr indicated it's complete transformation. With that, he arched his back and poised for another strike the magnetic poles at the end of his bow sparked a sturdy and tense string of electricity, which immediately sprouted a charged bolt, ready to strike its foe.

Sensing the oncoming attack, the Nomu quickly moved away with it's enhanced strength, punching the ground to propel itself off of the ground to launch itself, narrowly avoiding a deadly bolt. "Tch," Izumi's expression contorted into one of anger before quickly shifting into a slight panic upon realizing that the Nomu had launched itself towards Iida. "Look out!" Izumi yelled as he quickly dropped to the ground, electricity pulsing throughout his body, attaining an orange-hued glow. Noticing the beast's approach, Iida quickly heated his leg's engine in preparation to strike the beast. Upon it reaching a prime range of his reach, he let loose his kick. Only to have it caught by the Nomu mid-flight. Without having time to apprehend what it had just done, the Nomu spun itself around, using the momentum that it carried previously to launch Iida into a faraway building with a noticeable crater behind him. He found himself dazed, slumping down as his back flared with an intense pain, seemingly losing the feeling of his body. He grit his teeth in seething anger at both himself, as well as the unfortunate circumstance in which he had found himself in. Perhaps if his naive and stupid little hero act didn't distract Izumi from finishing the Nomu off, then he could have potentially gotten his revenge, but that chance had slipped away now... Or at least he thought so until he heard a distant and pained cry that echoed through the alleyway that opened itself before him. He could only stare in surprise and shock, though the alleyway slowly grew silent once more, could it really be?

He was given another chance to claim his vengeance.

The Nomu stood from the aftermath of regaining its balance from the disorienting spin. Perhaps the Nomu didn't have any facial expressions, without any skin on their face, lack of eyes and their inability to smile, though a sinister and malicious aura would be an accurate description of how it looked at Iida's weak form. It quickly broke out into a sprint, seemingly wanting to finish the job quickly, though Izumi had other plans to prevent them from doing so as a blindingly fast flash of orange lightning appeared before it, delivering a swift but immensely powerful roundhouse kick to its head, knocking it back a couple meters into a broken streetlight. "Iida, you need to-" Upon turning around, he was met with the worrisome sight of the missing bluenette. Questions started piling up within his brain though they were quickly answered upon hearing a cry resound in a nearby alleyway. His brows furrowed and he could only stare at the menacing abyss of the moonlit alleyway, seemingly taunting him for his failure. "Dammit..." He muttered under his breath, though his attention was brought back to the Nomu upon hearing it's shrill warcry, charging quickly towards Izumi, who was immediately prepared to counterattack, but relaxed upon experiencing a large torrent of flames pushing the monstrosity back, soon followed by the large silhouette of a man clad in an armor of fire landing on the ground in front of him before continuing it's assault upon the Nomu. Light footsteps were also detected beside him as he turned around to meet eye to eye with a familiar heterochromatic eyed boy, watching him with a primarily neutral expression, though he could detect small amounts of concern in his eyes. He waved off his concerns before quickly relaying a necessary fact to update their current situation. "Todoroki, I found Iida." He had said simply, causing the boy to widen his eyes slightly. "Where-" Izumi quickly pointed towards the alleyway that sat a few feet away from them, "He went down the alleyway there while I was fighting the Nomu, presumably because he found a lead towards Stain's position, so I need you to track him down."

"But what abo-" Izumi gave the boy a serious and stern look, his expression didn't leave any room for any objections.

"Todoroki. You have to go an follow him, he's likely dragged himself into an incredibly dangerous position, and he's hurt. We can't afford to waste time here." He straightened his back before letting out a sigh. "Endeavor and I will quickly handle this Nomu, after that, I'll be on my way to find you two. There are still more Nomus spotted around the city, so you need to be careful, not to mention that you will likely encounter Stain in your search for Iida."

"..."

"..."

"Alright."

"Good, now go. I'm counting on you."

With that, Todoroki nodded before quickly running off to search for Iida. Nodding to himself, he quickly turned his attention back towards Endeavor who was in a lock with the black tar Nomu, their arms grappled around each other's shoulders as they fought for dominance. The three had previously encountered another Nomu that was a lot lankier and pale in colour as their skin resembled that of a reptilian who had its skin stretched out like cornstarch. It was definitely weaker than the one he had initially encountered at the USJ, though that didn't mean that they let their guard down around it. Needless to say, as expected, the Nomu did have more than one quirk as per the fight they had with it. It had a mix of a body muscle size enhancer, potentially fire resistance as well as a strange tongue growth quirk that he'd rather not talk about. They had also encountered an old man who appeared to be a hero of sorts, though they were still incredibly powerful and fast despite their age. It had later turned out that he was the hero who had Izuku intern under, though it worried him that he wasn't aware of where he was at that moment, due to the Nomu that they were fighting had made an entrance while they rode their train.

It was of no doubt that Izuku had most likely joined the fray, seeing the state of chaos that the city was in. It was just in his nature to help, even if the situation was incredibly dire, the sludge monster was a perfect example of that.

 _Izuku... Please, be safe._

* * *

A lone figure sat on top of an abandoned two-story building, watching the world burn before them. Though they had taken to watch another scene, it was much quieter, yet still incredibly gruesome. The figure dangled their legs over the ledge in which they sat upon. Ice cold blue eyes content to watch as a certain bluenette struggled against the very man he sought to bring revenge upon. Another man leaned against the wall below them, heavily injured and seemingly dazed and unable to move as blood freely flowed from their shoulder.

A pained cry fell upon deaf ears as the Hero Killer brought down his sword upon the poor boy's arm. Scarlet red blood stained and splotted messily against the blank canvas of his white armour. Sobs could be heard, though they weren't one of defeat, they were one of building anger. The crimson eyes of the heavily bandaged and scarfed man glimmered in the moonlight, their face contorted in disgust as they turned away from the boy. Despite the fair bit of distance that was between them, the perched figure could perfectly understand each and every word they had said through their enhanced and perceptive senses.

Their expression remained impassive as the boy went on about the pain that he had caused his elder brother, the pain he had caused others, the pain he had caused him, though the hero killer didn't care about any of that. He countered with his own ideologies, preaching about how the society of heroes has become corrupt, and he had to admit, they did see it to be the truth. They had their fair share of worthless "heroes" who had wanted to eliminate them for fame and money, rather than the idea of saving others. It disgusted them, though it made them happy to see their horrified expressions when they were given the chance to slaughter them mindlessly.

The figure continued to watch the scene before them, somewhat interested yet kept a passive face. They were given orders to kill the man, though they had wished to watch him first. The image of the rather irritable hand clad man appeared on their mind, causing them to frown slightly. Even if they were working under him, they didn't exactly like him, nor did they feel like they actually need to do what he had said, though where his loyalty lay was somewhere greater.

A disturbance of wind and gravity was detected beside them, yet the familiarity of the feeling did not rouse any sort of reaction from the figure, other than their awareness of it's presence. a black orb that distorted the space around it quickly expanded into the height of a doorway before quickly shrinking itself back into nothingness. Where the portal was before now stood a neatly dressed purple fogged man in a bartender suit. Layers of metal wrung around their neck as their bright yellow eyes joined in watching the sight below them unfold.

"Mizu..."

"No. Even if Shigaraki is naive enough to want to kill stain on an impulse, or on the sheer sense that he irritates him because they can't see eye to eye on something... he is an essential piece in making the society that All Might and the current generation of heroes had built over the years to crumble. He can't see the value of having someone like him alive, imprisoned or not. I doubt the master would give valuable resources to Shigaraki just to spread more terror than Stain would, nor were they made to kill him... at least for the moment." The fogged man stayed silent, wishing to hear more of his opinion on the matter, to which Mizu happily obliged.

"I am more than aware of your attachment to Shigaraki, he will likely more than become an evil that people will learn to fear in the near future... but understand that I too have been given orders from the people above, I have a job to do, and Stain is the best method to carry them out." The man appeared to be taken aback by the seemingly rare amount of seriousness that they had used, as well as their tone of finality that left no room for argument, though he quickly recomposed himself. "I... I see."

"Believe me, Kurogiri. I know what I'm doing."

"And I am to believe that your capture of _her_ was also a part of your plan?" He had asked curiously, to which Mizu sighed and nodded.

"Yes, don't worry. If this plan succeeds, we will obtain a more than valuable asset to help us accomplish our goals."

"And is _he_ aware of your plans?" Mizu nodded.

"Mm, in fact, he was the first person to know of it and vouch for it to happen."

Kurogiri seemed to nod before the two returned their attention back to the scene before them. Though Mizu's attention was quickly brought to the rapid and quick steps that resounded in the distance, his brow raised curiously, though a smile grew upon his face upon seeing a familiar flash of emerald green rush towards the unsuspecting Hero Killer.

"You stay away from him!" Izuku had yelled, his eyes bright with electricity and the green glow that outlined his body made the two's eyes widen in slight surprise. The boy then proceeded to launch himself into the fray with the trademark shout from the symbol of peace, landing a clean hit on the heavily armed man who was knocked back a few feet by the intensity of the blow. Their eyes challenging yet excited, though they maintained a stoic and near murderous look on their face.

"Oh? Things are getting interesting it seems..."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Yay, the chapter's done!**

 **I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, I've been waiting so long for this to happen, and I feel pretty excited for the conclusion of this arc to probably come in the next 1 or 2 chapters. It often gets boring having nothing to do as a couch potato, though it is nice that I get to spend more time towards writing before I get back into school and *shudder* exams. But don't worry, I hope that I'll still be able to maintain my more than inconsistent schedule but still get out these chapters at a manageable rate. I am thinking of making a separate story that will just focus on some omakes (extra scenes if you don't know) between class 3-A potentially, though that might not happen for a while now, either that, or I just add some at the end of some of the chapters, if you guys want!**

 **Hopefully that the group chat between most of class 3-A was enjoyable for you guys, it was certainly fun to write, and I hope to be able to do more in the future sometime. Maybe even add in more characters to join the fun, or even write of some Class 1-A convos.**

 **Anyways, thanks for reading.**

 **Ignis**


	20. Regret and Pain

**Hey guys, I'm not dead!**

 **Just as a small warning, the following scene(s) can potentially be a bit gruesome... sorry.**

 **Don't worry, it's probably not as bad as you'd think.**

 **Merry Christmas! (Even though this chapter is probably the furthest thing from any sort of cheer)**

* * *

 **Hosu City**

Pain...

Pain was all that Iida felt at this current moment. He could only grit his teeth and cry painful choked tears as he laid in a deserted alleyway with only him, the hero killer and the pro hero Native present. Though currently, the man was slumped against a building wall, his blood painted and splattered, dripping from the cold weathered bricks as if it were a painting of sorts. The young hero couldn't muster the control to clench his fist as all movement within his body was stilled, numbed, paralyzed. The crunch of dust and grinding of stone approached in front of him, while he wasn't able to look at who stood before him in the eye, he was well more than aware of who this was. A disappointed grunt of approval snarked from above his helpless body, crushing his already broken soul, his ego.

Before him stood a man, a man who he had hated with a burning passion. A man who had done something so evil, so despicable in his eyes, a man whose actions embodied that of a villain to him. Committed an act so atrocious and irredeemable in his eyes that his world started turning red the moment he saw his brother's face of pure anguish and despair. The cold sweat that ran down his face, muttering his bitter regrets of not being able to play hero anymore as he was plagued by the same dream.

The hero killer standing above him, laughing at him. He was the man who had committed many atrocities and was the cause for many heroes to end their career so early in their lives while waving his ideas on a great flag in the faces of those who shook in their boots at the mere sight of him. Of which the fabric of that flag was weaved and painted with the blood of many, including that of someone who he had known very well. In front of him was the man who had crushed all of his hopes and dreams and had permanently scarred him both physically and mentally.

He was the man, the villain who hurt his brother.

For that, Stain could never be forgiven.

...

... So why?

 _Why am I on the floor?_

 _Why can't I act?_

 _I can't even lift a finger against him._

 _Is my resolve, my anger... not enough?_

 _Am I... not strong enough?_

"Pathetic..." A voice called out above him before the swift noise of metal sliced through the air, it's target easy prey before them.

A sharp pain from his arm spread to course throughout Iida's entire body as he screamed in agony. The young hero's voice echoed throughout the quiet and empty alleyways of Hosu City. No matter how much he screamed and yelled, no matter how much the shattered image of his brother fuelled his resolve to strangle the man before him. No matter how much his hatred grew and boiled, he knew that there was very little chance that anybody would find him, let alone save him. Iida was more than aware of how Stain operated. He had instigated his own research into the man's profile as if it were an obsession. The hero killer liked to keep things quiet, pick off targets in places where the chance of calling for backup was nil. Even despite the fact that he had somehow was able to distinguish Native's cries for help in the conflict of the main street, he had run a long way to actually reach the two. He wasn't even sure that the voice he had heard was even real or just a figment of his imagination, nevertheless, it inevitably resulted in hastening his timer to death. He couldn't come to care now whether or not he felt sane, or even if he was simply in the right mind as he was stuck in a most unfavourable position.

Stain was cautious, and he wasn't about to be arrested by a little boy who challenged him with the desire to claim vengeance despite having little knowledge of the world around him. He could feel his arm flare and burn up as Stain's chipped but polished blade pierced through his plated armour and skin like hot butter. Blood slowly spilt from the wound, yet the blade was kept in place to plug the oncoming pouring fountain of red.

"A little boy like you should have stayed at home with your parents. To decidedly call yourself a hero is both arrogant and ignorant to that who can truly don the title's burden." Iida let out a grunt of pain as the blade clad man ground his foot into the bluenette's back. His lower lip bled upon his desperate attempts in using it as an ineffective gag of sorts, not wanting to give Stain the satisfaction of the pain he was going through, though Stain's disappointment seemed to lie elsewhere.

"You and your brother, you're both just fakes."

Iida's eyes widened upon hearing that one line. His body trembled to its core despite the numbness that washed over it. He felt cold despite the rising heat throughout the city, it did not reach the secluded empty place that he was trapped within... The fragile and painful reminiscence of the smile of his dear brother when he had made a few special trips to pick him up from Yuuei personally, the memories of having long talks of his acts of heroism, the way he confidently issues commands to those who put their faith and trust in him. His reassurances of his little brother's doubts, helping him at every step of the way.

 _Iida... I'm sorry..._

"SHUT UP!" Iida yelled at Stain with as much anger and hatred that he could muster. His breathing became ragged from the sheer intensity of his voice, a voice of which he had never sought or found the need to use before, at least before now. The bluenette's teeth grounded against each other violently as his eyes shut tight to ward off Stain's lies. The man could only sneer as a result before prodding further.

"Do you think that scum like your brother, and now you are-"

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!"

The man merely stood and watched with no remorse or pity as Iida continued to shout his desperate cries, his desperate attempts at blocking out the words which Stain himself considered the truth. To which the man's frown only seemed to deepen from one of disappointment into disgust. His wicked crimson eyes stared holes into Iida's soul, to find it tainted and dark, yet the bluenette was caught up in his own fragile fantasies and memories of his brother, the perfect man and hero to him.

"Don't speak of him like that you bastard! You don't have any right to!"

The young hero's eyes shed painful tears as he choked on his own words. Silence fell between the two as Iida regained his breath, Stain patiently waiting for him to say something else, hoping that there was more to this "hero" than just a budding husk made for vengeance that has yet to have it's chance to truly bloom... or perhaps this was the ultimate outcome, the final product of this "hero" with no further road ahead of him. Despite this rare instance of patience from the hero killer, Iida knew that it was running thin. Stain's eye twitched as Iida's glare met his own, the trace of hatred and resentment still ever present in his eyes.

 _How disappointing..._

"How could you... how could you take away everything my brother had, everything he cared for!" He questioned him with a mix of anger and grief. He wanted an answer, perhaps not for the one he had specifically asked for, but all he wanted was to prove the man wrong, to keep his image of his brother pristine and clean. The man could only tighten the grip on his blade, driving it deeper within his body to evoke a sharp grunt before he decided to take it out entirely and painfully. Red started to flood the boy's vision as he could only do so much to stop his stomach from churning and rising to escape through his mouth, only being able to suppress the feeling of vomiting with his terror-filled scream. Through the retrieval of his blade, the young boy's blood followed and splattered over the man's clothes, yet Stain did not care one bit. He could only stare disgustedly at the splotches of red that stained his blade as if it were foul and expired, causing him to flick it off nonchalantly. It wasn't even worth tasting once more as he already knew that it was spoiled.

The bluenette heaved heavily in a desperate attempt to retain his sanity, to calm himself despite the hellish situation he was put in. He very well knew that he could have died then, no doubt the man had every intention to do so, but he wanted to look him in the eye and get the answers he wanted. The once bright and passionate will turned dark and cold as he wanted to take more and more from the man, yet he was unable to do so.

He was beaten, but that didn't mean that he could stop.

"How... How can you call yourself someone who wishes to better society... when you resort to such crude and violent methods to enact your terror!" Iida protested with a snarl, but the bloodstained man could only hum in thought with an equally hateful gaze.

"People with power don't listen to those who don't act, little boy... in a society that is slowly crumbling, the population can't say anything against the hero regulation system, because All Might is the only person that is capable of holding our society together... people who call themselves heroes can only follow his lead without any initiative to actually help. Both this sham-filled society... and the criminals who wield their power in the name of petty mischief... are targets of my purge... All for the sake of a better society..." Stain muttered, kicking a pebble into the darkness of the end of the alleyway, making little to no sound despite the rather spacious void that the two found themselves in. But Iida just couldn't understand... he couldn't understand why.

"Is that it?... Is that the only reason that you have to take the lives of others... to spread a message?!"

"Isn't that what acts of terrorism are about?" Stain quickly quipped, crouching down to his level, their eyes captured in a deadlock. "We resort to such methods because the heroes have no choice but to look in our direction if we were to take something from them." Iida's jaw hurt and throbbed painfully, his teeth grated as he kept in his screams of frustration and sadness. All he could do was breathe... breathe with the hatred he held within him fogging his breath as the light of hope within his eyes burned out, only resentment and the thirst for vengeance remaining.

"What you did to my brother is despicable. The damage you had caused to his spine crippled him!" He had cried out, his voice dripping with venom and boiling hatred. Iida couldn't forgive him, no matter the situation, he was more than aware of his twisted morals despite his seemingly genuine ideals towards Heroism, he had at least known that much of him. It wasn't hard to find information about the man, he was practically a celebrity now, though all for the wrong reasons. He just couldn't see, or rather, he didn't want to believe the words of the madman who had taken the beacon in his life, no matter how many articles he read, he couldn't bring himself to think if he was truly right or wrong.

"Perhaps I gave him an opportunity to rethink of his values as a hero in this society." He said plainly as if the topic of his brother's injury was something that he could really care less about, which infuriated him to no end, though he was powerless to do anything except think... with no end in sight.

"... He'll never get to be a hero again... All because he doesn't fit your warped and twisted image of what a hero should be?!"

"Your brother fell at my hand because of his resolve, his determination was not strong enough to overcome my own. I am a symbol that the world will know of, the world will learn to understand that they need to stand up, or stand down from the podium." He preached, standing up to raise his hands to the air, his expression passionate yet corrupt as he took in a deep breath. "Only people like All Might, who laughs at the face of evil, whose will to protect overcomes all, will be able to beat me!" He proudly exclaimed to the world, even if they didn't wish to listen, yet the two before him could only watch in terror as the man pointed his blade towards the bluenette's face with a sinister expression on his own, the moonlit weapon mere inches from making contact with his tender skin.

"Not the rats who ride off calling themselves heroes without even knowing what the word means in the first place, the rats who only serve society so they can reap the rewards of those who do their job right, without even thinking about the pay. A Hero is a title reserved for those who perform truly great feats! Too many are undeserving... Just money worshipers playing hero! Until this society wakes up and rectifies itself... I will continue to do my work. Perhaps what I am doing in morally wrong in the eye of humanity and of people like you, but it is necessary for people like me to make the heroes see that what they are doing only serves to make the society that people like All Might helped create crumble and collapse in on itself."

Iida was speechless, he could only look up at him with an expression that conveyed his confusion. His eyes darkened as he took in what the man preached, "My brother... He's saved so many people, he's a leader who guides and saves people... but more importantly, he's a great hero!" He yelled, desperate to keep the image of his brother pristine. The young boy did all he could to keep the pieces held together, to prevent them from breaking yet he couldn't bring himself to see that the frame, the glass that kept the image of his brother safe... was slowly shattering. Even then, he wouldn't care as the shards of glass that expired and shed from the frame dug into his skin to draw blood, he would still protect it.

With everything he had.

"There's no good reason, no explanation noble enough to take everything away from him, from me. What selfish reason did you have to allow yourself to think that you could just cripple him." Iida asked, tears streaming from his foggy eyes as Stain took a moment to look at him, an even look in his own blood red ones as he wasn't about to back down from his actions because a mere boy questioned his decisions. He had experienced things that not many had experienced. Memories no one should have to live through and reminisce upon. He had gone through such a great deal that not a small misguided boy could see even with growing years of wisdom.

It would take more than that to change his mind. It's already too late for him to stop now.

"Believe me when I say that the damage I had wrought upon him was a necessary sacrifice." The man said with disinterest as he inspected his blade nonchalantly before swiftly stabbing it just before Iida's face, the blade's chipped and ragged edge gleaming wickedly in the moonlight as a sign of caution for the boy, a few stray strands of hair fell before him from his threat. Stain crouched down to his level to look him in the eye with an evil that shook him to his core.

"He was harmed to spread a message, or else I would have _killed_ him."

Killed him...?

No... Tensei's not that weak, right?

Ingenium wasn't a weak hero!

Does he consider himself refraining from killing Tensei an act of mercy?

What kind of twisted idea of mercy is that?

"My brother did great things for the people of this country, for me... to me, he was invincible... He was _MY_ hero... " The image of his brother's sincere and kind smile as he stood in front of him, the light consuming him slowly, only to re-emerge as a broken and crippled man stuck in a hospital bed. Monitors buzzed around his body as his eyes were closed, yet his breathing was stiff and ragged. The dim lighting of the E.R's positioned lights hovered over his body with swarms of doctors leaning over him to inspect the cuts that scarred his body with a cold sweat dripping from their foreheads.

 _"It's because you look up to me... that I keep on fighting. I have to make a good example for you, to help you become a hero worthy of surpassing myself, a hero that will do our family name proud."_

"WHY CAN"T YOU UNDERSTAND THAT!?" He cried out, his shout echoing throughout the dark moonlit alleyway but was quickly silenced and replaced with a cry of pain.

The blue haired boy cried out agonizingly once more upon having Stain's chipped and edged blade plunge deep into his back, causing him to experience an excruciating amount of pain. Though it mattered little to him at that moment, he was lucky to avoid any sort of excessive damage to any of his major organs, though the pain that he felt could only be described as indescribable. Despite being barely conscious, Native could only wince at the pitiful screech that escaped the young hero's mouth, drowning out the maddening and even note of the boy's blood being spilt on the dirty concrete. He could only internally shudder upon seeing the boy's body convulse in pain upon lying, sprawled across the floor. A young boy like him didn't deserve to have his budding career end so quickly when he was still in his early stages of blossoming.

He couldn't do anything... he felt useless. Tensei was a hero, wasn't he? He was deemed ready, worthy to go out into the world as a full-fledged hero. He had years of experience in the work of handling villains, but was it all for nought? Perhaps Stain was right... this society needs better heroes than the one Iida himself was being right now...

Right now... he felt defeated, he couldn't gather the strength, the will to continue fighting... hell, he couldn't even do his job to save the boy. Instead, he needed the boy to save him... a boy who hadn't even acquired a provisional license yet. Perhaps it could have been considered to be an act of inspired justice, to take action when they are called by those in need... but that was unfortunately not the case as it was as clear as day and night that the boy's intentions for doing so weren't as pure as a hero's should be.

Instead, he was just used as a beacon to attract a boy who was driven on vengeance.

"Silence." The bloodstained man muttered under his breath as the intense pressure that Iida felt tripled, his body, his soul growing weaker as he fell into the endless abyss of despair. Upon drawing the blade out from his back, blood spurted and flowed freely along with another harsh chorus of screams that reached no ears, painting a deep and harsh red against his white armour. Iida could only do so much to keep consciousness and retain his sanity from falling into the blackness that worked ever so mercilessly to take him from the realm of the living.

His time was running out...

He was going to die here, wasn't he?

"People like you disgust me." Stain muttered as he kicked the young hero's arm harshly, sending him into a nearby wall with a surprising amount of strength to receive an audible grunt of pain as well as a sickening crack in response. Iida couldn't even muster the strength to keep his eyes open much longer from the pain that his body was wrought upon. As he only fell to the ground once more, a large crack in his likeness was revealed inscribed on the wall for all to see from where he stood. The unpleasant surge of spastic pain once again coursed throughout his body as the implemented devices of torture on Stain's boots left a noticeable effect on Iida.

"You call yourself a hero in training when you don't even know the basics of heroism. I commend your brother for feeling brave enough to face me all alone, though his reasons fell somewhere between stupidity, ego, or selfless... but you, your reasons are that much clearer, and all the more disappointing. You stand no chance against me... you lost that chance when you decided to leave your friend alone to fight that man's pawns..."

Iida's eyes widened at the mention of the amber-eyed student, perhaps Stain didn't know him personally but it still shocked him that he was aware of such things. "W-what...?" The boy choked out, seemingly out of breath from the man's ferocious kick. He could barely think straight as his world turned around him, his sense of reality slowly slipping away.

"Call it an instinct of sorts, though my senses have been trained to be far more superior than most others." He said, tapping his ear to prove his point. Stain let out a sigh as he shook his head, his grip on the blood-dyed handle of his katana tightening in anger, his exhaled breath fogging harshly against the brisk cold air. "The look on your face betrayed the muderous intent that your heart beared, yet you simply chose to avoid confrontation with an immediate threat to the city..."

"You ran away."

The words sent chills down the boy's spine as he remembered the faint image of the thunder-wielding third year's back, the black Nomu standing before him as the surrounding area blazed in a spreading inferno. During that moment, Iida was already weakened by the slamming toss that had caused a great deal of damage to his back, but something clicked within his mind as he heard that faint scream for help that soon after grew farther and father before dying out completely. The intent to take down stain overtook his functions and control over his body as if he was literally fuelled by vengeance and anger. He couldn't even bother to listen to what Izumi had wanted to say to him before he ran off after the hero killer as darkness consumed him, the grip of light slowly fell away as only the moonlight could illuminate his path. He didn't run away, it would mean that he would have to deny what his brother wanted of him to be, to deny what chance he had to take on the hero killer without bypassing the law.

"If you believe yourself to be a hero, then are you not neglecting what role you're supposed to play?" Stain said, pointing his blade in front of the boy's vision. Iida could only lie there and contemplate his situation as the reality of his actions had dawned upon him, the harsh blinding breaking through his dark and narrow pathway. A cold sweat ran down his neck, his palms felt clammy and cold underneath his gloves. In an act of desperation, the bluenette turned his head towards Native, their eyes meeting, though the latter's held one of surprise and fear. He could only frown harshly and avert his gaze upon realizing what the boy would say next.

"B-but there... was someone in need of help!" He croaked out hoarsely in a pitiful attempt to defend their actions, though Stain saw through the facade as if it were a tower of twigs. It was pathetic and it only served to infuriate him further. Stain couldn't believe what he was hearing then as his gleaming crimson eyes conveyed his seething and boiling rage to the involved parties around him quite effectively, immediately shutting him up.

"If that's so, then why is he still on the floor? I am more than aware of your vendetta against me, your eyes tell me all of your impure intentions to spill my blood... that is what you desire. Forget about yourself for a second and try saving others. Don't wield your power for your own sake. Because getting trapped by your own hate and acting out of pure self-interest... makes you the furthest thing from a hero." He hummed tauntingly, yet his point came across clear to him as he drew closer, up and personal to Iida's face to the point where he could feel his sickly moist iron scented breath brush across his cheeks, the rotting scent of blood from his breathing made him want to gag but he was unable to do so as he found himself paralyzed under his intense gaze.

"You're not a hero, you're just a child blinded by the black and white illusion your brother had cast over your eyes."

He rose slowly, the blade twirling around his palm before his grip fastened around the blade so that it's pointed edge was directed towards his intended target, Iida's neck.

"You know..." The Hero Killer murmured as the boy below him turned his head ever so slightly to signify the direction of his attention, of which his eyes watched him carefully, the life ever so slowly fading from his eyes. "I had heard that All Might had recently started teaching at Yuuei. While that may be good for raising more pure candidates for those who wish to become heroes... it's a shame that they still end up producing a few apples that fall far from the tree to shrivel up and become inedible, the very essence of their soul slowly consumed by the sins of the world. Rotten fruit like you who only care for suiting their own selfish needs."

Iida's eyes widened upon hearing those few words. While it was most definitely a jab at his supposed act of heroism in attempting to find him, only to fail with the intent or reaping the reward of a short-lived satisfaction, he could sense the faint glimmer of malice that fell in between his words. A trace that left his blood cold as he came to the crazed man's idea of a revelation.

No... he couldn't be...

He sighed, shaking his head with his hand covering his eyes in disappointment as he swung his blade around indifferently. "Perhaps it was foolish to think that this world would change so quickly, even mere kids like you have already been tainted by the faults of humanity." Letting go of the grasp of his face, finger by finger, his malicious crimson red eyes stared back down at Iida with a taunting yet stern face.

"To think that I would have to add children to my list."

The boy could only look at him with an expression of fear and regret, a realization dawning upon him.

it's... no... it's my fault...

 _"If you need someone to talk to, you can always talk to us. We're friends after all."_ Izuku's words rang throughout his mind. He was there to witness, to absorb that single line from his dear friend but at the time, he was already lost to the darkness that rapidly worked to consume his heart. Many of his friends showed concern upon his rather strange behaviour during their jointed departures in the central multisystem of the train network, though they were unable to truly see what was growing within the mask he bore to them. Perhaps to him, it was an act of selflessness, he didn't want to drag the others into his own problems, to risk injury if they were to ever encounter him.

But no... he had the dreaded feeling that they would only get in his way if they were to accompany him.

He knew that his classmate's compassion for the society of heroes would stop him from obtaining the revenge he desires so badly ever since he saw his brother's pained face. Back then, he was like a train, working endlessly to reach his destination with little being able to stop him in his tracks to turn around.

Then there was him...

Iwaizumi Midoriya.

The person he wanted to see the least then at that point in time after his talk with Izuku.

" _Iida?"_ He remembered the third year reaching out to him moments later after the bluenette's own talk with his younger brother, bringing him to a more secluded station within the train transport terminal to clear his mind and focus on his objective. At that point, he honestly felt annoyed that there were more people who wished to talk to him and convince him to turn back despite his usual demeanour under normal circumstances... but then again, these weren't normal circumstances, were they?

 _"What is it, Midoriya san."_ He had said rather coldly to the amber-eyed senior, who could only frown in response. It was most definitely unlike the proud bluenette to reply to one of his seniors, especially that of his friend's elder sibling in a way that came out as bitter and harsh. Izumi knew of his admiration for the heroes who had preceded him as well as students like himself and the big three who would, as usual, accompany the first year's own trio of Izuku, Uraraka and Iida. He was quite participative during their conversation and never fails to praise them on certain quotes or acts that they may not have even intended to do in the first place, but seeing such a stark contrast between the boy who he had known as a kind, diligent (if not strict and stiff) leader of the younger generation of heroes to this pawn consumed and obsessed by the idea of putting Stain in his place without even realizing the implications of such a thing to occur by himself.

 _"I wanted to see if you were all right... Izuku had told me that you haven't been yourself lately, and frankly, I think pretty much everyone can tell of your change."_ He replied cooly, seeing that the situation at hand was indeed a delicate one that had a time bomb just waiting to explode. Izumi knew he had to approach the situation carefully or else he would risk losing the Iida he knew.

 _"Is it that obvious?"_ The spectacled hero glanced to the floor, his expression appearing aloof and disinterested as he adjusted his glasses on his face to hang properly on the bridge of his nose before returning his gaze back to the boy in front of him, surprisingly seemingly wanting an answer to the query. The green haired boy's brow was raised slightly in concern upon seeing the cold side of Iida that seemingly no one had ever seen before, and to be honest, it was unsettling.

 _"Yeah..."_ Was all that Izumi could reply with as the two fell into a rather awkward and pensive silence that even those around them could notice.

 _"..."_

 _"..."_

 _"Is that all you have to say?"_ Iida said with a huff, turning his back to the senior student. Apparent that he wanted to finish this conversation and leave.

 _"... It's about your brother isn't it?"_ Izumi whispered, though his question was more than loud enough for the young hero to pick up as he turned his head around to meet his gaze, his eye twitched slightly, signifying that he had hit right on the mark.

 _"..."_ Iida couldn't bring himself to say anything at the current moment as he averted his eyes, seemingly in thought as Izumi sighed, finding interest in the ground before continuing.

 _"Y'know, you have people who want to look out for you Iida. My brother and I are here for you as well... I know that having your brother hospitalized is painful, I get that, I really do-"_ He was suddenly cut off by Iida interjecting him with a cold glare.

 _"You've never had to experience someone you looked up to with everything you had just be gone, Midoriya san."_ He stopped for a moment to take in a deep breath, his expression softening into one of sadness as he turned his back to him once more upon hearing a distant rumble in the distance. _"You and your brother still have each other, alive and well. Perhaps it may be rude of me to say this but I doubt that you have actually faced the kind of hardship my own brother and I have faced upon having our wings unable to fly anymore... He doesn't even believe that he is able to take up the name that he had nurtured over the years anymore but instead gave it to me. He doesn't believe that he can be a hero anymore... and neither do I."_ He finished coldly and quietly. The emotion that dripped from his voice and tone contrasted that of the passive and distant look on his face. Izumi had opened his mouth and raised a finger to respond but was unable to respond to the boy's perspective on the matter, seeing that his presence had only brought him pain.

It pained him to be unable to act to help someone he could relate so much to, yet he couldn't shake the cold feeling that washed over him as he bit his lip in concern.

 _You're wrong Iida... you're wrong..._

A soft ding alerted the pair as the next bullet train had arrived in the terminal to release their load of passengers and patiently await their next occupants. Turning his head towards the traffic board, his expression lightened upon seeing a familiar number and destination scrolling across the screen. He turned his gaze to the ground where he wrapped his fingers securely around the case that contained his hero costume and other necessary support items and gear. It surprised Izumi that he was able to fit such items in a compartment of that size. While the case itself wasn't necessarily small, it mystified him that he could fit those giant metal thrusters that he had incorporated into his design when he had first met him during the USJ attack, besides, most of his gear included thick protective body armour. Though it was irrelevant, he stored it later as food for thought.

 _"Excuse me, my train is here,"_ Iida said quietly, not bothering to turn back to look him in the eye. Izumi kept his gaze trained upon him before letting out a sigh.

 _"... Try to be safe then, alright? If it's not for my sake, please do so for Izuku's as well as your friends... know that you're not alone, Tenya. You have people that care about you, and no doubt your brother wouldn't want you getting hurt either."_ The taller student paused for a moment, seemingly recognizing his words before continuing to blend in with the crowd as he boarded the train.

Midoriya...

There wasn't any sort of personal vendetta against the third year student, but he couldn't handle the sight of him nor could he handle the sight of his own classmate Izuku Midoriya. Perhaps it was due to the fact that he was everything that he missed, everything that was taken away from him. He envied Izuku for having his family safe and whole while his had been scarred and cracked.

Was I so blind in my quest to seek revenge? That I threw away everything I had...

Stain let out a small grunt upon seeing the expression that dawned upon Iida's face. "And so it seems you see what I mean." He sighed before raising his blade further up, though not with the intent of backing off as it was poised, ready to strike down upon him. "But people don't change just like that, child. I'm afraid I can't let you go since you know too much of my quirk, and doing so would be rather troublesome on my part." He explained with a small hint of remorse and apology within his tone. Iida could only shut his eyes and clench his teeth in anticipation for when the blade would once again strike his body.

"No... I don't want it to end here, I can't let it end here." He whispered to himself, his gloved hand clawing at the ground to no avail, the motors of his engines huffing a pathetic trail of smoke from the lack of feeling that coursed throughout his legs and body. He truly felt alone and weak, unable to stand and even put up a fight.

"Goodbye child. Your sacrifice will contribute towards a more just worl-" The hero killer stopped himself as well as his blade from striking upon hearing the faint trace of rapidly approaching steps towards the two as he snapped his head towards the direction of the sound that drew ever so closer by the second. Despite the situation that he was trapped within, Iida couldn't help but turn his head in the same directions with hope bubbling through his body upon hearing it's approach located within the next alley or so.

"Iida!"

* * *

A sigh passed through the third year boy's lips as he removed his transformed bow staff from the limp and collapsed body of the Nomu. Given that the creatures were said to be completely brain dead and had been mutated and modified into monstrosities who could only act under the command of those like Shigaraki as seen from the USJ incident, the hero populace had been given the permission to exterminate them if the situation called for it, though they had warned that it would have been wise to avoid doing so and instead seek to capture them if possible for further research into their biological structures with the idea of potentially reverting them back to normal.

Of course, this was all just rocket science, as well as wishful thinking that stirred from the USJ incident where the world, or at least the news was limited to Japan and government parties, had witnessed the creature that would identify themselves a 'Nomu' through their naming of Tomura Shigaraki, the man-child of sorts as people called him. Funnily enough, principal Nezu was the one to call him that first and supposedly the name stuck with those who didn't feel like taking him seriously as an actual long-term threat. That was to say that Izumi didn't see him that that fashion either, though he did have his fair share of anger towards the man for even considering harming his brother while he wasn't around to protect him, and yet he was somehow able to recreate this feeling that the very moment he fell upon.

The tar black skin of the Nomu that laid underneath his boot glistened with sweat as the inferno of fires swirled around him. The Nomu's eyes had rolled to the back of their head... or brains depending on how you could see it, seemingly unconscious and unable to stand from the ripples of electricity that coursed throughout its body. Despite the seemingly different and unknown nature of these Nomus, especially with how some appeared to have different quirks, paralysis was an effective method to restrain the Nomus. He could only frown upon thinking if things could have gone differently during the USJ incident. Shaking his head, he gave the Nomu one last bitter glance towards the monstrosity before returning his attention back to his surroundings. Many other heroes had been tasked by Izumi and Endeavor to eliminate the threat of the fire from harming and evacuate any citizens if they were unable to assist in the battle against the Nomu's around the city.

Beside him, Endeavor breathed lightly from accompanying the student to defeat the Nomu, though his frown held a look of disapproval and disappointment as he stared down the body of the faceless creature. The man wouldn't have been called the number 2 hero if he was to be winded by fighting something like this, even if it did have an overwhelming amount of strength in comparison to that of the average human, including that of those who had strength modifiers but of course not even reaching the levels of that of All Might or the USJ Nomu for that matter. Izumi himself breathed lightly but was considered to be fine as well, though his mind seemed to be elsewhere as Endeavor had noticed. More than a minute had passed since Todoroki had left to follow after Iida, though Izumi had a nagging feeling that the bluenette would have likely gained a great deal of ground away from the heterochromatic hair coloured boy due to his quirk falling into the category of speed rather than Shoto's primarily long-range offensive prowess.

The boy took in a deep breath to allow himself the moment to think despite the desperate situation that he fell in upon being kept in the dark about Izuku's, Iida's and Todoroki's whereabouts as well as situation. Of course, the lives of the citizens mattered more than just stopping Stain, but potentially three student's lives were in danger if they were to come face to face with the Hero killer. He could only hope that Izuku, who out of the three, had the least likely chance to encounter him, with Iida being the most definite upon practically knowing his reason for leaving in the earlier stages of the battle and Todoroki following after.

Perhaps to others, it would have been considered a bad move to send Todoroki after the speedy bluenette, due to him being an intern as well as the fact that he wasn't even given a provisional licence to act on his own but given that Iida's will acted in a fashion similar to that of an unstoppable steamroller in a metaphorical sense towards the fight that he had been yearning for these past few days sending someone who would most likely fare much better as a supportive teammate would give him a much better chance at survival, even if it meant risking Todoroki's life as well. It was the most tactically sound option that he could take at that current moment due to his unreliability in taking down the Nomu given his combat synergy with his father. Even then, the three of them had expected an outcome similar to this to appear, given that they may be split up at a certain point. Todoroki himself was more than aware that his classmate's life could potentially be in danger, though it frustrated the amber-eyed student to no end that he couldn't do much to turn the situation into his favour and potentially stop Iida from pursuing Stain entirely...

There were times that Izuku would have put out an arm or a leg to help someone in need and potentially rush in head first into danger, which no doubtedly caused Izumi's heart to stop beating sometimes. Of course, he couldn't complain too much as that was what sometimes being a hero required, risking your lives to potentially save others. Besides, it would be hypocritical of him to say that if he didn't do the same from time to time, he had his fair share of experiences of rushing into problems at the spur of the moment through his three years at Yuuei.

He could only hope for the best that the three were safe, though the chances of that were slim at best. Perhaps it would be foolish to hope for something like that but there wasn't any harm in at least trying to stay positive, right?

The group of Nomus that had suddenly sprung into action on this very night had caused a lot of problems as well as cause a significant headache and blow to Izumi's patience, especially considering that they were on a time limit. The second Nomu was defeated yet there have been no confirmations on the third's current whereabouts. Especially since the third Nomu was said to be capable of flight and had the asset of mangled and distorted wings of sort, Izumi's archery prowess would have likely proved to make quick work of such a foe, yet he couldn't bring himself to think of that at the current moment and Endeavor was fully aware of what went through his mind upon seeing him stare at the pitch black alleyway of which the buildings that stood beside it, guarding it had glowed a blazingly bright orange. Perhaps it wasn't the most inviting entrance, but there was only really one way to go from now.

But there wasn't really any time to cry over spilt milk now, was there?

Instead, the only way to go was to push forward and do whatever he could to reach the most favourable outcome.

Keeping his cool in situations like these were the best methods in approaching a problem, though the number two hero could see the wave of cold calm wash over his face, seemingly coming to a decision as he quickly restrained the unconscious Nomu as an extra measure of sorts with strings of electricity binding around its body, restricting any possible movement from the creature that could potentially be used to induce damage or harm. Despite the lack of response from the creature, seemingly wouldn't even be bothered to care if it were actively conscious or awake to evoke any reaction from the quite noticeable strength and tightness that the electrical bondings put upon its skin. Endeavor was even suspicious that it might explode from the swelling that it caused but could only turn to give Izumi a concerned look, at least for Endeavor's standards.

The flaming hero was more than aware of Izumi's attachment towards his son as well as his own brother and his classmates, it was a value of his that held strong in many cases and helped him to be able to protect others as well. Even he had been victim to his unyielding and stern expression that adorned his face as he stepped in harm's way to protect those dear to him, even when it was against Endeavor himself. Grunting and coughing into his fist with the intention of catching the boy's attention, he turned around to face the smoking city that highlighted the skies above with a musky orange that painted over the brown and black clouds of smoke.

"It'd be best that we split paths for now, Raijin. I'm tasking you to follow Shoto to his classmate, wherever that may be. I'm counting on you to protect my son..." He said with a tone of conviction and finality, leaving no room for any objections not that Izumi had any in the first place.

"Endeavor..." Izumi breathed out quietly. Of course, the man would be concerned about the safety of his own son, whether it be due to wanting his successor and object of his efforts alive or he was truly acting like a real father figure. A soft smile spread across his face upon sensing a little hint in his tone pointing towards the latter. The flame covered man turned his head towards him with a stare of sorts, though it was much different than the usual hard and stoic ones he was often willing to give everyone free of charge, instead it was rather soft.

"I'd prefer my son to be safe and alive as you would your brother, Raijin. I hope you do not disappoint me, though I trust that you'll be able to handle yourself." Endeavour grunted upon seeing the smile that dawned upon his sidekick's face, knowing full well what that meant as he turned back around with his arms crossed like a tsundere of sorts which amused Izumi to no end. The third-year student let out a small exhale with a smile upon their face as he gave the man a small salute.

"No problem, boss." Surprisingly the man chuckled softly before nodding as the two went on their separate paths. Perhaps it wasn't too late for someone like him to change, the thought itself had painted a small grin on the amber-eyed boy's face.

He had a relative amount of experience in quickly scaling buildings with the intention of being able to move around freely if a situation called for it. It could potentially be considered a situational skill, though it had it's use more than once in his budding career, not to mention that it gave him an advantage over some villains under certain circumstances. He himself had considered teaching Izuku how to do so, but there was the matter that he didn't exactly have a quirk that could particularly be used to help make short amount of distances like himself... and pretty much everyone in his class could, though for some reason the only people that did such things were himself, Yomo, Monoke, Fukutsu and Okami san. The rest were either capable of flight like Nejire, Hikari, Sai and Tamaki could, or they preferred to stick to the ground... though he had mentioned that his mentor Gran Torino had taught him to be able to gauge his power at a more manageable rate, so there was potential there...

But besides that, gaining the higher ground gave him relatively quick access in scouring the surrounding area for any signs of the Hero killer, though the alleyways of the section of Hosu City that he found himself within was eerily quiet. All but the sound of his footsteps clacking against the roofs of the apartment buildings filling the night sky along with the soft crackle of electricity as well as the distant cry of help from beyond the setting of the large buildings before him as well as the bright orange hue that painted lightly over the moonlit roof platforms of the surrounding buildings. The boy bit his lip in slight frustration seeing as he had little way to actually locate his target without as much as a clue, meaning that he had to resort checking through whatever alleys he could. He had expected a few screams here and there to indicate his location, though if Iida and Todoroki were on the scene then it was likely that Stain would take more precautions into being careful and quiet.

There wasn't even so much as a sign of conflict in the surrounding area as he would have expected the clanging of metal or pillars of ice and fire emerge from a nearby alleyway but was only met with nothing apart from the terror-filled screams of the citizens caught up in the large-scale incident that Hosu City faced, with the Nomus being the primary candidates for rousing such reactions.

He stopped upon a ledge to observe his surroundings quickly and observantly, not wanting to miss any details that would at least give him a hint as to where he should go. His brow furrowed in slight annoyance as he moved to continue but stopped upon feeling a familiar buzz emerge from his pocket. He turned to the sound with a raised eyebrow, digging his hand into the modified coat that he wore, his eyes widened upon seeing the seemingly random text of Izuku's location. Izumi could feel his body momentarily freeze and his hand almost accidentally dropping his phone to the dark alleys below him. He could only try to suppress the lump that rose through his throat upon knowing the significance of his text as a cold sweat trickled down his face in rising fear. Of course, to anybody else, it would have come off as strange and something that could have just been shrugged off as some kind of misunderstanding or mistake, though the brother of the sender was more than aware of what this meant.

He needed help.

And to make it worse, there wasn't any context behind the message at all. Quickly identifying how far he was from Izuku's location, he cursed upon seeing that the location he was looking for was within a far away district from the one that he was currently standing in. One that was near abandoned or was at least in the state of an uninhabited part of the city. Of course, given how he could quickly traverse and scale buildings with his ability to temporarily enhance his physical abilities to a degree, it would still take about a minute or so to actually reach him, though it would take much much more time if he was to go down there as the layout of the alleyways were similar to that of a labyrinth. It appears that the reports were right that Stain liked to make his move in quiet areas but to find that he found a target in such a desolate part of the city baffled him, though his surprise could wait for now. Whether he could make it there in a minute or not, a minute was still too much time given to the hero killer to inflict harm or even kill his brother, Todoroki or Iida.

Given the situation, he could only clench his phone tightly before quickly storing it away in a pouch strapped onto his belt and muttered a quick prayer that Izuku would be safe, though chances were that he was far from it.

* * *

They weren't particularly in the best condition to take down Stain, Todoroki had to admit.

Iida was heavily injured and bleeding out from behind the two, seemingly paralyzed on the floor unable to do anything but express his fear for us and shout out whatever he thought would be able to help them. Izuku stood beside the heterochromatic boy, panting heavily as his body was set in motion to that of a fighting stance with his fists raised despite the obvious wear that he had gone through. His emerald green eyes shone with energy, along with the new aesthetic of the glowing red veins that sprouted along his body every time he had used his quirk, which had surprisingly not caused a great deal of damage within his body every time he had used his power despite the noticeable deficiency of power. While it was good news for sure, the three didn't have any time to comment on their classmate's improvement as their foe rose before the two with their twin blades slightly charred but was still in use, glinting maliciously in the moonlight.

Todoroki himself had a few wounds laced around his arms - though that would be due to the still lodged dagger blades in his arms, though the adrenaline in his body helped keep his mind off it - as well as one that grazed his cheek, of which nearly led him to be affected by Stain's quirk and fall into the same situation that Iida was in, which would only have put the three of them in more of a bad spot than that of which they were already in. It was one of the times of which he was actually grateful to have inherited his father's quirk as it quickly cauterized the would, preventing any further bleeding until it healed.

"Midoriya, we need to get out of here. We can't handle fighting him while risking Iida and that other hero behind us to bleed out." Todoroki said quietly to his classmate who could only nod numbly in response, both of them keeping their eyes trained on the hero killer, not even considering the idea of letting their sights off the man for a second.

"I know Todoroki san, but I don't think this guy is going to let us go now..." He grimaced upon watching the man take small steps to approach the duo with a crazed maniacal glint in his eyes, licking the edges of his mouth before letting it dangle there momentarily. Stain led out a sadistic but acknowledging grin in response to the two's inquiry with a solemn nod.

"Quite right."

Sweat trickled down Izuku's face as his hands trembled slightly, countless calculations and strategies towards finding a solution to best handle the situation that the two could escape from.

 _What could I do? How could we be able to escape out of this situation... There was little chance that the two of us could take on Stain in a head-on fight without risking further injury to Iida and Native, then again we would risk it all if at least one of us to fall now. I had sent out a text of our location earlier, but I'm not too sure on the status of any reinforcements... maybe Nii-san is nearby, though we don't know exactly when or even if he arrives given that he read my text in the first place. There were Nomu's about in the city, there is a possibility that he's preoccupied at the current moment..._

 _...ugh, this wasn't looking too good._

A plan brewed within the young inheritor of one for all's mind, biting his lip in slight frustration before closing his eyes shut upon making his final decision.

Perhaps it wasn't the best one but it was the only one that would have the most favourable outcome without relying on any outside circumstances.

Izuku opened his mouth to speak but Todoroki quickly cut him off, knowing full well what he was about to say. "Your brother will be arriving shortly, so the best course of action is to distract him until then, got it? Don't think about sacrificing yourself Midoriya, it probably won't work if either one of us were to do so." The heterochromatic haired boy said with a surprising amount of force that had not been previously heard by anyone in his class. Izuku turned his worried gaze over to him, to which he only continues to glower at the hero killer with disdain. "I'm not allowing you to get yourself hurt when I can do something about it. So trust me, okay?"

He was speechless, though perhaps it was good to see that his efforts to help change Torodoki from his shell had taken effect. Perhaps it took a lot of broken bones and fingers to do so, but he could say that at this moment, it was worth it. He was amazed at how aggressive and definitive his classmate sounded, like a true leader. The emerald eyed boy chuckled silently before nodding slightly towards his friend.

"Thanks, Todoroki-sa-" Before he was able to finish his thanks, the heterochromatic haired boy's eyes widened upon seeing Stain's image seemingly blur in front of him as his right side immediately started to activate his quirk, chilling the air around him with crystals starting to form atop of his skin.

"Midoriya, Look out!" He warned Izuku before pushing him back with his left hand in conjunction with releasing an unrelenting wave of ice towards Stain that quickly scaled the narrow walls of the alleyway, along with lifting Iida and Native to higher ground. Though his efforts to stop the hero killer's approach were, unfortunately not enough as it appeared that Stain had escaped the wrath of Todoroki's attack and reached the pair before lashing his blade out towards the broccoli haired boy with the intention of striking at Izuku's neck with a diagonal slash.

Fortunately, Todoroki's push allowed Izuku to quickly somersault backwards out of Stain's reach. Though upon seeing as his blade had missed its target, Stain instead opted to let it sail further and strike Todoroki, who was able to create a dense enough ice pillar beside him in time to stop the momentum of the blade from injuring him. Not allowing the two the relief of having space to breathe, Stain continued his assault on the two. Jumping and scaling the walls of the small alleyway as if every little detail was known to him like it was on the back of his hand, overcoming any obstacles that the two would attempt to dissuade him from killing their friend as well as themselves.

There was little that the two could do to gain any sort of ground over the Hero killer, granted that he had likely fought against people who were more stronger, smarter and faster than the two were at this point in time. He was unlike any sort of villain that they had encountered before, even those who appeared and attacked them in the USJ could be considered as small fries in comparison to this monster... though then again, there was also the Nomu to worry about as well. Despite the extremely unfavourable situation that the two stumbled upon, they could only hold onto the shred of hope that they would come out alive.

All that they could do now was to try to fight and survive.

Laboured breaths escaped from Izuku's lips as he was launched back by an attack by Stain to relocate back towards Todoroki's position, somehow unharmed as of yet. He glanced up towards the icy pillars, of which were adorned with the glistening trail of red that contrasted the ice's transparent white. Iida's pillar was much more coveted with his blood than that of Native's as he had previously seen the bluenette's injuries being much more serious than the pro hero's. Given by the sheer amount of blood that pooled under Iida's body upon Izuku's entrance, the freckled boy could tell that his classmate was in a dire need of help and would likely result in hastening his timer to death if he didn't act then.

He let out a silent curse under his breath as he could only imagine the incredible amount of pain that Iida must have been in at the current moment. Not only physical but emotional pain as his injuries would have been no doubt excruciating to handle, Izuku as well as Todoroki knew of Iida's rather radical desire to keep all of his friends safe and to have him unable to do so but was instead needing of them to save him from a problem that was entirely his own fault would no doubt make him drop in spirits drastically. Though the two would be surprised if he was even still conscious at this point but were unable to see for themselves as doing so would likely allow for Stain to do the same and finish him off.

The two had settled on a close range and long range support style of combat. The plan was the best that they could think up of but it was effective nonetheless. It allowed for the both of them to cover as much space as they could to prevent Stain from making any moves that would break any chances of the two winning, worked for the time being.

Given that Izuku had learned to handle the power of one for all much better, he was quick to be able to leave openings for Todoroki to strike as well as allowing for himself to attack without many repercussions as the dual hybrid quirk user would cover up any of the broccoli haired boy's openings if Stain were to see one and push him back to avoid getting hit by either of Todoroki's fire and ice quirks. The same applied for Todoroki as keeping Stain preoccupied at the front with handling Izuku, he could do very little to attack Todoroki without having the inheritor of one for all follow and pursue him.

Nor was that wasn't to say that Todoroki wasn't already trained to handle dodging projectiles as his many sparring sessions with Izumi had allowed for better reaction timing of being able to dodge Stain's daggers. Granted that Izumi never used an actual lightning bolt against Todoroki by Endeavor's interference for the sake of his quirk generated arrows being extremely painful and almost torturous under certain circumstances and was deemed to be too fast for Todoroki to even have a chance to react in time to dodge like most others who had come face to face with the third year.

Knowing this, Izumi had to resort to using normal wooden arrows, of which was much slower in comparison to those that he would use in a real fight but were slowly enhanced in speed by controlling the rate of which his bowstring straightened into it's original form, launching it faster at different levels of which Todoroki slowly adapted to, the few bruises across his body already bearing a reminder to the first year why his senpai was called the sharpshooter amongst the hero society, though he was only a few levels under the pro hero Snipe at Yuuei. As well as this, he had already born witness to the third year's track record of taking down enemies with a single well placed shot of his bow and arrow bolt, which gave him the wisdom to not even think of challenging Izumi to avoid one of his shots.

Despite the two holding up surprisingly well against Stain's attacks, Todoroki could only raise his brow in cautious confusion as Stain's grin slowly grew bigger by the second. Seemingly unfazed by the unrelenting attacks that the two had launched upon him. Izuku too was confused by the Hero killer's action as he suddenly stopped in his tracks and stood straight to applaud the two with a small laugh, digging his blades into the ground as a temporary placeholder. "Very good! Very good... You have good friends Ingenium." A drawn-out exhale of breath escaped the hero killer's lips before his maniacal smile overtook his face once more. Quickly drawing one of the short dagger blades from his holstered belt before flipping the blade nonchalantly within his palm, of which set the two on the defensive but questioned why Stain held it in a reverse grip.

"But I'm afraid that I have to cut our playtime short."

He moved to draw his blade closer to his lips before taking a single lick of his blade, of which made the two Yuuei student's eyes widen in surprise. Suddenly, Izuku had found himself unable to stand as his body collapsed into an unmoving heap onto the ground as if an intense heap of pressure laid him against the ground, unable to move a single limb or finger. It was much like the same state of which the two had found Iida in earlier.

"W-what...?" The freckled boy stuttered out with wide and confused eyes. Beside him, Todoroki could only watch with a similar expression. The two were unable to properly able to react to the battle's sudden change in the tide as the odds suddenly fell massively into Stain's favour.

"Midoriya!" Todoroki shouted with immediate concern upon seeing his friend suddenly collapse from the hero killer's quirk. Izuku could only grunt in frustration before the two laid their eyes on Stain, their eyes scouring his profile in a desperate search to find answers. Which then proved successful as Izuku noticed a small and almost unnoticeable gash upon his shoulder. His eyes widened before he turned his head hurriedly back towards Stain who only stared at the two with an even glare before licking his lips, the dagger he had held within his palm had a small smear or rose pink lining near the back of the blade.

"T-todoroki... It's... his quirk... It must be... activated by... congesting blood..." The heterochromatic haired boy could only stare wide-eyed at the sudden revelation, of which his eyes showed that he too was starting to connect the pieces fairly quickly. Stain smiled at the boy's observation, seemingly impressed with the connection as well as noticing the cut he had made within the earlier stages of their fight.

"Heh, that's correct." He chuckled sinisterly to himself as he pointed the blade towards the two.

"Believe me, it was fairly difficult to preserve blood with your rather annoying quirk, boy." He complained about the obvious recipient being directed towards the hybrid quirk user. "Not to mention that you appear to be quite skilled at dodging my daggers as well..." Todoroki didn't even blink as he stared back at him, his cool exterior reminded Izuku of that of when he faced him during the sports festival. An expression that overflowed with the desire to overcome any obstacle in his way, a quiet but controlled rage that was directed to serve a single purpose. To become a hero in his own way.

"I've had my fair share of practice in handling long-range weaponry..." He said plainly as Stain's smile reverted back to a tight-lipped frown before scoffing at him.

"Hmph, is that so?" Sheathing the dagger, he reached towards the grounded blades that stood beside his boots, pulling them out with ease. His shoulders slackened as his blades were lowered slightly in his grasp but had given off the message that the fight was yet to be over. "People who are all talk are a dime a dozen... but you two... I may consider letting you live." He turned his gaze to stare solely at Izuku, "Especially you boy. You appear to have been taught well under All Might... I'm glad to see that not all of the youngsters are delusional juveniles like your friend up there." He said, pointing one of his blades towards the tall crimson pillar. The two students could feel their throats tighten and their fists clenched. They respected their class president for trying his best in all scenarios to become what he believes is a righteous hero. He was kind and passionate, even if the road he was walking down wasn't one he intended to follow.

But they wanted to help him, nor would they tolerate any sort of insult towards their close friend.

"Well, it's time that we wrap this up." Stain muttered as he went to check his wristwatch before turning his attention back towards the two and pursued in making a full blindingly fast sprint towards Todoroki who could only do his best to hold his ground by readying himself for Stain's attack. The hero killer smiled maniacally as he readied his blade out in front of him, poised to strike or slash away any incoming waves of ice or fire. At least that was until his eyes shifted upwards and widened with slight surprise. A flash of light struck Stain's blades as he was able to raise them up in time to take the hit rather than himself, though unfortunately for him the blast knocked the blades clean off of his hands as they sizzled and disintegrated quickly after falling to the ground with an audible _clank_ and _snap_.

"Tch, another one?" Stain muttered, visibly annoyed as his hands were visibly bloodied from the attack as his fingers twitched spastically, causing him to hold in a grunt of pain.

"Huh, that's a first..." A voice called out from the rooftops as the three looked up to see the silhouette of a bow-wielding figure, of which slowly let their weapon to lower by their side. For the two students, they were a sign of hope as well as recognition while Stain looked on at them with curiosity as well as anger. Another few warning shots were fired towards the man but he was able to quickly react to the figure's action of drawing his bow and hid behind a large disposal bin for cover, of which was quickly obliterated into smouldering smithereens but he ended up unscathed through the encounter. A soft sigh could be heard as the figure gracefully leapt down to land in front of the two Yuuei students with small traces of electricity spreading from the soles of his feet. "Are you two alright?" He asked, turning towards the two as well as taking off the mask that adorned his face to reveal the familiar sight of Izuku's older brother.

The two having the expected reaction of relief, as well as hope, arrive on their faces.

"Nii-san!"

"Midoriya!"

He nods, though his gaze stops upon noticing the state of which Izuku was in. Izuku could feel a sudden familiar weight befell upon him as his brother's amber eyes stared at him with an indescribable expression adorning his face. He couldn't help but feel somewhat awkward and regretful upon being stared down upon, knowing full well how his brother had taken to any kind of harm towards Izuku. He was just the protective brother he knew, but that didn't mean that he couldn't feel the gravity that befell upon him every time those piercing amber eyes laid upon him.

Perhaps during other instances, such as outside of battle, he would have acted in a much more concerned and panicked manner to his situation, though it was under dire and life-threatening circumstances like these that led to more... intense reactions. Not on Izuku, mind you, but rather the person that was the cause of it. It was as if he was a different person during these instances. At least, that was what he had heard. In fact, it was the main cause of which Bakugo had come to learn of how scary a protective brother could be at times, though he would never admit nor tell of what happened during the first incident of when Izumi found out about his apparent bullying.

"... We're going to have a talk about all this later, okay Izuku?" Izumi said with a monotone voice, his eyes turned back towards Stain who carefully drew near the centre of the alley for the reason of wanting to observe his opponents first as to him, Izumi was a rather unknown but still incredibly dangerous variable. He was careful to not turn his back on the boy as his eyes were trained on him like a predatory hawk, not to mention his display of power over long-range combat had effectively wiped the option of escape out of the equation, at least until an opportunity arrives but even that seems unlikely.

"Shoto." Izumi said with a strict and sharp tone that requested for an immediate response.

"As we suspected, he fights primarily in close quarters but can use daggers as well. His quirk... well," The heterochromatic haired boy turned towards the broccoli haired boy beside him with a simple look that conveyed all that he needed to as Izuku quickly nodded in response.

"His quirk requires that he orally digest the blood of his victims to paralyze them! Though we're still unsure of what means make his quirk is effective, such as time..." Izuku quickly cut in, finishing where Todoroki left off. Izumi nodded in response, grateful for his contribution.

"Thank you, both of you, but I'll take it from here. Todoroki, I want you to bring Izuku outside the alley to regroup with the others, I've already brought Iida and Native to a safe spot with the other pro heroes so you don't have to worry about them." He let out an affirmative grunt in response, through Izumi didn't need to turn around to hear the uncertainty in his voice.

"But what about you?" He asked curiously as well as a hint of worry lining his voice. Izumi turned his gaze back towards the two briefly, his amber eyes shining with all the reassurance he could muster.

"I'll be fine, just go." He idly commented, waving the two's concern off.

A moment's worth of silence passed before the rustling of clothes as well as a soft grunt was heard, along with a small squeak as Todoroki plopped Izuku onto his back as the best method to carry him out.

"Nii-san..." Izuku croaked out, to which Izumi could only offer him a reassuring and caring smile in return.

"Don't worry about me, okay? I'll be fine... I promised mom that I would protect you at all costs, and I intend to carry it out; so just believe in me, okay?"

The two brothers held their gaze for a moment longer before Izuku sighed with a resigned nod. Soon after, the two made their way out of the alleyway and out the sights of Stain as well as Izumi. The third-year student gave the man a raised eyebrow but said nothing. Seemingly understanding the intent behind the action, Stain huffed.

"They were good heroes. Heroes who follow the ideologies that All Might possess and apparently inherited. The world needs more people like those two, so I let them go for now... even if it means that the information about my quirk is out for now, they don't have the full details of its effects."

Despite the heavy injury placed upon his hands, he grabs two sheathed daggers from his waist with a firm grip due to his previous two katana blades being most likely obliterated by the boy's shot. His calloused and charred hands slowly dripped with blood, but Stain showed only the slightest hint of annoyance in response of the handicap he was given but didn't complain. He raised the tip of his blade towards Izumi as a gesture for a challenge with a gleam of harsh judgement in his eyes. "But now, I wish to test what kind of hero _you_ are... whether you're just another fake wanting to hog all the glory... or maybe you're like your brother and that other kid."

Izumi smiled at the mention of his brother and Todoroki, a small sense of pride swelled within his chest as he readied his bow once more. "Well, I'm afraid you'll have to make do with how angry I am right now, so you'll have to forgive me." He snarked, readying his bow.

Not seeming to react in the slightest in response at the answer Izumi provided, he broke into a sprint, hoping to be able to land the first blow; Izumi was quick to be on the draw as an arrow bolt quickly sparked into life within the grasp of his fingers, lining up correctly with his vision on Stain. Correctly timing his attack, Stain moved out of the way when he predicted when Izumi would release his arrow. He had found a seemingly impossible small interval of time that he could exploit from the seemingly undodgeable attack, though he never let his guard down for a reason like that alone. To think that he was fast enough, or even had fast enough reflexes to correctly time his attacks kept the amber-eyed student on his toes. Izumi kept on a straight face as his eyes darted quickly around his surroundings with an orange glow trailing from it, channelling the power of his quirk to rouse his body's abilities to greater heights.

As Stain had reached the three-meter mark from his opponent, he quickly made a swift diagonal slash to test the reaction of his opponent, who quickly and efficiently hopped backwards out of reach - which was reduced greatly from his arsenal was limited to only his daggers - but soon found himself needing to deflect a swift thrust towards his stomach that could have potentially ended his life but was able to throw it off course by using his bow to smack his hand away. Stain quickly found himself enjoying the challenge that his opponent had brought with him as he continued to attack with a relentless force that would slowly wear down his opponent enough to give him the means to win the match in one single lick, but Izumi wasn't about to let him do so as he was quick to keep his distance, occasionally using the obstacles and platforms around him to give him a small advantage in height, though wherever he went, Stain was quick to follow.

The amber-eyed student didn't mind this too much as he too found the match to be exhilarating, though the image of his brother's still body kept him from going out of line and abandoning any chance he had of winning. He took every moment to watch Stain's movements with the hopes of finding an opening, or perhaps a pattern of attack.

Soon after a momentary clash, the two had found themselves fighting on a large rooftop as it gave Izumi the advantage of an open stage rather than a restricted one, undisturbed by the blazing fire and chaos that spread around them as they fought to gain ground over the other. Given the larger field, that left less room for manoeuvrability in terms of cover and obstructions that Stain could use to his advantage, the stage and environment setting were at the peak for Izumi's advantage. After all, he needed it since he had just come out from the fight with the Nomus before and he couldn't afford to give in, even if his weak body whispered it's want for a small break.

There was no need to exchange words as their weapons did all the talking for the two. Izumi was rather impressed with Stain's technique and skill as his erratic and seemingly patternless movements as well as attacks was unlike anything he had seen before, even if his long blades weren't accessible anymore. He kept up surprisingly well despite his opponent having a weapon superior in range to him, as Izumi was even required to enter his quirk enhanced state to keep himself from avoiding any contact with his dagger blades, of which made him experience a fair share of close calls. It unnerved him, but he had no choice to continue playing the game Stain wanted.

Stain was somehow able to adjust his attacks to accommodate for the style that Izumi used in combat from just the few shots he had fired earlier. Izumi had a habit of aiming directly for his person with only small adjustments in an attempt to accommodate for any minor shifts left or right. This was primarily due to how his weapon operated, as the insanely high speeds that his arrows produced would hit their target before they could even blink. Though perhaps his slight exhaustion had widened the gap of this window of opportunity in giving the hero killer a better chance of avoiding his attacks. The fact that Stain didn't follow any sort of pattern or rhythm that he stuck to annoyed Izumi, as he just attacked with everything he had with immense precision and speed that was occasionally too much for him to handle. Izumi had practice dealing with speedsters or speed enhancing quirks that knew what they were doing, but none of their reaction timing could compare to that of Stain. His gleaming and sharp eyes could exactly determine his flight path and had the flexibility and manoeuvrability to narrowly avoid any hits.

Even if his skill impressed him, it didn't mean that it didn't frustrate him to no end.

Stain too was impressed with the boy's ability to keep up with him. It was rather clever to at least eliminate his two primary weapons that had contributed greatly towards his crimes and killing, having to resort to using only his dagger blades was surprising but was expected in his career. Even if it were just by chance that he was able to weaken the initial heavy blow from Izumi's entrance with his blades, perhaps there was a chance... no the definite possibility that he knew that launching a surprise attack would either finish the job or give the opponent less amount of time to react without coming at a price. But the fact that he was already wiped from the previous battle gave him an edge over the battle. One that he needed if he was to beat a foe that could seemingly take out someone with just one well aimed shot.

Questions flooded his head, though he had yet to find an answer to his query. Despite that, given the boy's seemingly powerful use of his quirk, for someone like him, someone who had trained the most part of their lives honing every sense and function of his body -especially the mind- that he could, Izumi's attacks were rigid to someone who could react like he could. All it took was simply a matter of time to get used to it, not to mention that knowing how dangerous letting his guard down around an enemy like him had essentially put his body and mind on overdrive, though the adrenaline that kept him from cheating death kept him moving forward with the intent to win.

He was looking for more, and pushing forward was the only way he knew how to do it.

Izumi struggled to keep himself contained. A feeling that was similar to that of when he unleashed hell upon the villains during the USJ attack swelled from within him, but now, there was no-one he needed to watch out for at the current moment.

It was just him, and Stain.

Despite this, he knew that letting himself loose would only cause for more opportunities that would allow Stain to get a single strike in, which would end the fight in a single moment.

Besides, he had a plan to finish the legacy of the Hero Killer once and for all... But he wanted to test the waters first.

As Stain jumped towards him, Izumi surprised the hero killer by quickly firing a bolt a the man, who narrowly dodged the bolt by swerving his head to the side, the tingle of electricity crackled along his cheek. Through this, the distraction allowed Izumi to swiftly convert his weapon into a bo-staff with a quick whirr and launching it towards his foe. Stain could barely recognize the changing gears growing ever so closer and closer before a final click could be heard before its end had made a small greeting with the top of Stain's head, knocking him into the ground with a painful crash. Though Izumi wasn't done as he quickly swept him into the air before charging a quirk enhanced thrust to the man's abdomen, the tip of his staff crackling with lively electricity, of which the immediate reaction towards his torso was explosive with a large ray of light blinding the area around the two of them. A faint click trailed at the initial crash of impact before he was sent flying. The force from the attack alone propelled the hero killer to flop and bounce before skidding to a stop by colliding against the barrier aligned near the edge of the building complex with a painful thud.

Despite his vision becoming blurred momentarily, he spat on the ground with minor traces of blood splattering along the cracks and creases of the tiling and steadily gained his bearings with his outstretched palms pushing him off of the worn concrete. As expected, it appeared that it would take a lot more than that to keep someone like Stain down as he quickly recovered from the blow and regained his focus in time to witness Izumi quickly nick something from one of the utility pouches that hung at his waist before tinkering with his bo-staff, piquing his curiosity.

Though unfortunately for the electrokinesis quirk user, a glint of scarlet red that adorned the tip of Stain's dagger left him wide-eyed in surprise as Stain deftly proceeded to lick the small trace of blood that he was able to nick off the boy from the earlier blunt attack. The effect was instantaneous as his body immediately collapsed to the ground, dropping on the spot with everything on hand removed from his grip as he let out a small wince upon experiencing the rather unpleasant and painful feeling the cold concrete meeting with his face. Izumi let out a small grunt as he struggled to move at all, but his body didn't respond, it couldn't. He could only turn his head up to meet his gaze despite the strain that it put on his body as his blood felt as heavy as lead.

He stared at his eyes especially, the sharp, determined amber-orange orbs reminded him of that of the heterochromatic boy from before, as well as the other freckled child. Behind them was a mix of rage and calm, though there was also a burning light... a light whose rays described of a good spirit, a light that persevered in the face of countless trials and tribulations. But within that light, there was also darkness. A darkness that threatened to consume that light whole. A darkness he wanted to find more about before he could make a final judgement.

"It was foolish of you to think that you could beat me on your own, wasn't it? I'm sure you would have had a much better chance with those two by your side. I commend you for your bravery, boy, but perhaps I was mistaken to believe that you would be smarter than the other two before you who met the end of my blade." Izumi scoffed in response to the man, knowing that this would be a test of sorts. A man like him who goes around countless cities to spread his philosophy would no doubt be looking for those he believes fit his ideals.

"Perhaps, but it's up to me to protect them from whatever may come when I can help it. I couldn't stand the thought of having them go through the same trouble many others have faced in the past. Besides, I'm sure that you're more than aware of the repercussions that apply to those who fight without the means to do so, especially young heroes who haven't gotten their provisional license yet." He shot back, staring him in the eye with an even gaze that matched Stain's own.

"Hehehe... Very good. Perhaps you aren't as conceited as I thought..."

The man walked up to the boy slowly, both daggers held comfortably within his grasp as he stared down at Izumi's prone figure. Taking in a moment to reflect upon the boy's actions, he drew his hand towards the sky, the blade within his hand poised to strike into the boy's back. He stared at the boy, meeting his gaze for a brief moment in silence before his hand made the swift descent. At least it was until the man heard a small spark pronounce from the boy's body as his figure pulsated a bright orange light. Lightning lashed out against the man, though he was once again able to move out of reach thanks to his sharpened senses and reactions. His eyes wide in surprise at the boy's sudden attack, sneering at him.

"Huh, looks like I can use my quirk even when I'm under your influence... interesting," Izumi muttered, his voice softened as his cheek was pressed onto the cold ground. The howl of the wind picked up in volume as the tide of battle had changed from one field to the other.

The hero killer felt his lips twitch as they formed into a tight line, his gaze hardening before he decided to make the first move by quickly launching a blade towards the boy, who as expected, deflected it with a single bolt of electricity meeting it midway, resulting in a small burst of energy of which sent the dagger spiralling somewhere to the side, out of his reach for now. Reaching to grab the only other dagger strapped to his waist left in his arsenal, he would make sure to not lose any more of his chances of winning.

Without wasting any more time, Izumi's body discharged a wave of electricity that once again struck close to the man, his attacks powerful yet not as precise as before, though they struck surprisingly close to him, too much for his liking. As this was likely due to his control over his quirk being limited without the use of gestures from himself as well as his limited sight. He could only stall for time until Stain's quirk had released it's grip on his body... at least that was if it ever did, or else he'd have to rely on having to wait for backup, though the chances of surviving that long was still low as he was perfectly prone, not to mention the excessive use of his quirk was slowly tiring him out. But that wasn't to say that his three years in Yuuei hadn't helped him reach new heights for his limits, it was, of course, necessary that they nurture and grow their quirk alongside their physical body, it was just how it goes now that things that could only be described as rocket science was now reality.

Another wave of electricity lashed out against the man, forming a small storm of lightning strikes. Stain's eyes narrowed as the blades of voltage were launched in a diagonal volley towards him, making an arc similar to that of a missile from his body. Crimson orbs watched the bolts patiently as they started to pick up on a little detail that left a small chill down his spine. Observing the pattern of attacks of which the bolts struck seemed odd to him, as they seemingly didn't have one. There wasn't purposeful positioning or placement of charred ground that aligned with each other in a certain way, rather it was purely random. There were a few well-placed diversions to corner him into moving towards a certain position in some instances, though there were many where those moves did not exist. Even then, if the boy was truly in control of what he was doing when he was sure that they'd follow in an arc to effectively round him, though that wasn't the case. Instead, they were primarily clustered at points that seemed to focus more on... getting him.

Were they... following him?

 _... *twitch*_

To satisfy the deafening suspicions that arose from the depths of his mind, he calmly looked down when an opportunity presented itself to find that a small device had been implanted right on his chest plate. It was seemingly unnoticeable at first due to the size of it being similar to that of a small penny, though it's grey colouring had matched well with the hue of his armour, though a soft and eerie orange glow emanated from its core making its presence known. His brow raised at the sight of the strange object but not being given enough time to think any further as another volley of lightning heading towards him, he had to stow away that thought for now.

Glancing towards the device once again, his brows furrowed in thought. He was more than aware that such a device would likely have a connection with his current predicament, as he was unable to even get close to the boy without having him unleash a discharge of plasma towards him, which seemed to have locked on to the hero killer whenever he was close. Though there was a more noticeable interval between his attacks now that the battle had been drawn out, Izumi's attacks have been slightly more reserved, allowing him more time to ponder how his attacks still proved to be effective. A sigh escapes his lips as the only reasonable purpose of the device had hit him.

It was a magnet of some sort.

Knowing that it could prove to be a massive threat if his assumption was correct, he desperately attempted to pull it off of his person to no avail. It was definitely a stubborn piece of work, though that was to say that the pain within his hands didn't help him either.

It was stuck on him, and he was unable to do anything about it.

He couldn't be given the opportunity to take off his chest plate either as Izumi would more than likely exploit such an opportunity if it were to arise. Besides, if he were to take it off, his defences would be severely weakened as the previous blow from the hero's staff would have more than enough power to wrack a great deal of pain to whoever was unlucky to be on the opposite end of his attack. Stain's eyes widened upon coming to the realization that the particular moment he had been able to land a blow to his abdomen was likely the moment of which he had placed the device on him, around the same time he was able to trade blows by barely nicking his skin with his dagger. Or perhaps it was his staff that had stuck it to his chest from the initial blow.

The hero killer cursed under his breath upon knowing how much harder this fight was going to be. The student was already hard enough to hit with his defensive properties of not wanting to be electrocuted, but to make it even harder to land a blow without risking his chances of winning by having even more distractions he'd have to look out for was infuriating. Yet despite this, he could feel a small sense of excitement swell within him as he did earlier with the two boys. He had to push forward with the hand he had been given, though he wouldn't have it any other way but to face a challenge.

He knew, that the only way to win now, was to tire him out... Though there was still the matter of how long his quirk will continue to last against him.

 _... *twitch*... *twitch*..._

A frown fell upon his face upon seeing the boy start to rise. His hand supporting the heavy weight of his body as blood started to spill from his mouth. Despite the slightly dazed look that was painted on his face, his eyes continued to exude the same amount of confidence from earlier as his relentless assault with his quirk had momentarily stopped for him to take a breather. Though that wasn't to say that Stain would allow for such a thing as he pressed forward to attack. Sighing knowing that he wouldn't be able to catch a break that easily, his orange aura began to surround him once more as he moved to dodge the Hero Killer's attacks.

They danced around the large stage with the exchange of parries and strikes of which was blocked by the two for the most part. Thunder mirrored the scene below as it crackled and dances along the skies with grace yet power. Despite the obvious wear that was wrought upon the third year's body, he was surprisingly able to keep up with him, though that wasn't to say that his offense remained at the same level as before, instead he had to resort to using his quirk less and resort to a more defensive approach. Stain was surprised to see that Izumi had chosen to add more pressure and force with his blows, often resorting to mixing up his offence with overhead swings and a volley of arrow shots in quick succession. There was hardly any gaps left by the boy for Stain to take advantage of as his enhanced state allowed him to move out of the way quickly enough to avoid suffering under Stain's quirk once again. Not to mention that his despite his movements slowing amidst alternating between on and off states of his quirk, his face still showed an increasingly manic grin and smile ever present on his face, even if his forehead was matted with sweat and his cheeks looking slightly paler than before.

"You're pretty strong, y'know." Izumi idly complimented the man with a small cough as the two clashed with their weapons. Narrowly avoiding a slice from Stain's daggers by manoeuvring his body to the side before forcing his hand outward to strike. Stain on the couldn't spare any concentration to answering the boy as he was already preoccupied with avoiding his bolts. He wasn't sure what it was, but he felt as if Izumi's shots were much slower than the ones he had fired during their initial encounter.

Most likely due to exhaustion of not only his quirk, but his body as well.

The hero killer's eyes narrowed as he narrowly dodged the last few bolts, resulting in them crashing into each other to implode violently with a large blast of electricity and colourful waves of plasma that left a noticeably large scorch mark on the ground.

The two came to a standstill as they simply settled on watching each other, gauging their opponent's reaction. With all the questions that swarmed Stain's mind, there was one that he wanted the answer for most, one that he had been yearning to learn throughout the entire battle.

"Why do you fight?" Stain asked with a passive yet stern expression upon his face. Izumi stared at him for a moment, his heavy breathing restricting any action to respond to the man. It was rather sudden for the hero killer to blurt out a question like that during a fight, but it definitely was something that Izumi expected considering how the man fought tirelessly to cure society of "fakes". Letting his bow and arms drop back to his side, he let out small coughs with a fist raised to his lips. His closed eyes and furrowed eyebrows communicated the idea of thought despite the exhaustion he faced. The action was one that would have provided the man with a perfect opportunity to take him down, but he was more than aware that it was dishonourable to attack someone who more than willingly lays down their weapon at their request. Besides, he just wanted an answer to his query.

"My reasons have changed over the years that I honed my skill, and on a personal level... I fight for the thrill of battle." He says slowly with a small yet oddly calm smile, his head turned towards the man to reveal the vibrant energy present within his amber eyes. His fist dropping back to his side to glide over the edge of his bow as he elaborated further on the prospect.

"How the blood in my veins pump and rush in the heat of battle is exhilarating. The way that my muscles stretch and stress in duration makes my heart beat faster..." The boy's expression turned into one of more manic and wild-eyed as he rambled on, "And the expressions that my opponent makes when I have them under the mercy of my foot, struggling to free themselves from my grasp is quite... satisfying, enjoyable, gratifying." He finished with his arms spread out like a mad preacher. Thunder's applause rumbling in the skies above, as of stimulated by the boy's excitement.

"But..." Izumi's expression calmed considerably as his smile had been reduced to a soft frown, his hands slowly drawing back down to his side.

Stain kept his expression even as he watched the boy take in a deep breath, the aura that he exuded seemingly changed from the crazed and excited persona he had donned before, as his half-lidded amber eyes stared at the ground, seemingly deep in thought once more as the calming and chilled wind passing through the two, causing their hair to sway slowly in the breeze. The sound of thunder relents their growls into small whispers

"But there's another side of me that wishes to protect the peace that society has been granted by All Might. As a hero, perhaps I may not be as righteous or strong enough to claim that I want to protect everyone, because that's impossible for one man alone... all I could hope to accomplish is to protect those who are close to me, but that doesn't mean that I can turn a blind eye to those who need my help." He states firmly with a gaze that held an equal amount of gravity, though his lips curled into a small smile as he placed his hand over his chest softly, "Besides... Keeping a smile on everyone's faces... it gives me a similar feeling as well... but I'm afraid that my reasons for fighting you right now is more than impure, nor will I forgive you for assaulting my brother." Stain grunted in response, evaluating the boy's response in his own terms. The man's crimson red eyes softened in this regard as he smiled ever so slightly in response to the boy's answer, seemingly pleased with his words.

"Hmm, you are quite interesting. Perhaps you may speak the truth, but your actions need to speak more loudly than that." The hero killer muttered under his breath as he readied his blades once more. Izumi sighed but nodded solemnly in agreeance with the man, though his eyes opened in surprise, lifting his head up slightly to look towards the sky.

 _Drip... Drip... Drip, Drip, Drip_

The two perk up upon hearing the gentle beat of rainfall, the soft patter of water droplets running down their skin and dripping from their hair. The sight of the city was soon swathed in an elegant veil of cool grey. The blazing inferno of fire the city was once enveloped in slowly shed the flames from its body, the light and heat of chaos fled into nothingness.

"Ah... it's raining." Izumi said softly as his body sparked with rippling veins of goldenrod orange electricity.

The sky rumbled once more, it's cry echoed vastly throughout the entirety of Hosu, boasting with a brilliant flash of light, seemingly from the heavens above, if only for a brief fleeting moment.

"...Perfect."

Despite the flash of arrogance that appeared on his face, it was quickly replaced with one of pain. Izumi let out a small grunt as a sharp flare flashed across the nape of his neck, much to his confusion. He winced as he reached his hand to grab at the spot on reflex, though he stopped completely a second after, his mind turning blank.

Stain perked up as he saw the Yuuei student draw his bow once more, though curiously, Izumi quickly fished out what appeared to be a black metallic disc. His brow raised upon watching him bringing it close to his mouth, seemingly muttering something indiscernible before it quickly morphed into a large black arrow with neon glowing orange highlights. Its shape was more mechanical and much larger than the wild and flourishing brand of his electric bolts as it's size appeared to be able to cover at least a meter's worth in length, its width being as thick as that of a finger. He nicked the edge of his finger with the arrow's head, drawing blood which trickled down its shaft; the scarlet liquid ignited into a sea of white flames and embers, seemingly activating the weapon as it glowed a soft orange with a ripple of electricity along its length.

Flames sparked, enveloping Izumi's finger with a similarly hued flame, cauterizing the wound before shifting his bow to a different gear to handle the properties of the new variable on the field. Twirling it around his finger, the flames swung unaffected by the rainfall as he quickly and gracefully settled it on top of the bow's nestle, pulling it as far back as the bow could manage, though that wasn't to say that it wasn't accompanied by more sparks of lightning as well as two more thunder arrows aligned themselves on both sides each before solidifying their arrow shafts to meet at Izumi's fingertips.

"It's time to finish this," Izumi said with a deranged grin, knowing that he couldn't keep up for too much longer before succumbing to a disadvantaged state, of which he would most definitely lose. Stain's eyes narrowed as he watched Izumi suddenly lift his aim from him to the sky and let the arrow loose to fly with a brilliant light. Despite the arrow being much slower in comparison to that of his other lightning bolts, it was steadily picking up speed. To his surprise, the lightning bolts beside it never surpassed the head of the arrow but instead revolved around it like a shield of sorts. It was rather mesmerising watching the display of light converge and orbit around the arrow.

 _*Ba-dump*_

Izumi's eyes widen momentarily as his body shook with a painful yet foggy feeling coursing through his body. His vision started to white in and out and shake violently as he stumbled momentarily. He gasped as a shudder befell upon his body, giving a strange feeling of... relief, and calm.

Stain tilted his head in confusion at the boy's antics, but the unmistakable crackle of electricity brought his attention back towards Izumi's weapon as the boy let out another merciless volley of arrows towards the man, who was starting to tire from avoiding the blasts. Izumi had to give the man credit, as there haven't been anyone capable of avoiding his shots, while many were taken out in a single hit. The Yuuei student knew that it would take more than just one well placed shot to be able to take someone like Stain down, who was acclaimed to be even too quick for Ingenium to land a hit on. Besides, carrying out a fight like this tired Izumi as well as launching the sheer amount of bolts that he has during this single fight had caused him a great deal of stress upon his body and mind.

At the rate the two were going now, Izumi would lose if he weren't able to continue having his enhanced state up. He couldn't show weakness to the Hero Killer, or it would be the end of him. The black arrow was his last hope to be able to finish the battle once and for all, and he could only do his best to hold Stain off until the arrow was ready for him to finish the job.

It was his ace in the hole.

Izumi watched as the arrow reached its apex, stationed high above Stain and out of his reach. The world around him began to shake once again as the shudder of his body passed through naturally this time. A small smile spread across his face as it stopped and started to glow with a familiar orange light. The four bolts of electricity gathered into spheres of sparkling electricity and plasma before circling around the arrow, suspending it in the air that most could only say was due to magnetic forces. The black steel rod emitted a soft and low whirr before the weapon reformed itself into a strange staff of sorts that glowed with electricity at both ends of the rod. He really had to thank Hatsume for coming up with such an ingenious design for a last resort attack.

An attack that wouldn't miss.

 _*Ba-dump*_

The pulsating rush flowed through his body once more as he trembled slightly, seemingly less fazed by the strange feeling. Though he stumbled upon having his vision clouded with red as his blood pumped, his heartbeat echoing loudly within his body, blood rushing in his ears. Even Stain couldn't help but glare as a violent and murderous aura emanated from the boy. Unlike before, the aura that he exuded had a much greater gravity, which only served to instil a small hint of doubt in Stain's blackened heart.

 _... Do... it..._

"You know... I've never actually gotten the chance to use this move on anyone before... but now that I can, I feel a bit excited." He giggled softly with childlike glee, halting his volley of arrows to gauge Stain's reaction as he outstretched his hand towards him to gain immediate control of the bolts of electricity, of which dispersed around him to implode into an array of colours that formed a wave of ionized gas to envelop the surrounding area the two stood in. The field expanded over a good ten to fifteen meters or so, though the plasma tickled the surface of his skin it wasn't particularly lethal or painful. Stain remained silent but the look on his face more than expressed his confusion, though his body remained guarded. Izumi let out a low chuckle knowing how futile it was for Stain to do so as there was very little that the man could do to dodge a bolt from the heavens.

 _Remember... remember the rage that you felt back then..._

"... You won't be hurting anybody else once I'm done with you." The third-year Yuuei student said to the man, all the emotion devoid form his voice as his dull amber eyes stared him down with an intense gravity that multiplied by magnitudes from before, even making the hero killer stop in his tracks for a small moment. Taking this opportunity into his own hands, he readied his bow once again to draw forth the power of his quirk, lightning emanating from his fingertips as he swiftly shot an arrow to strike the suspending medium in the sky. Izumi's eyes distantly watch the spectacle before him as his lips moved on their own accord, his breath tingled in the field of plasma that surrounded them.

 _didn't it feel good? to let loose in hopes of seeing the scared look on that bastard's face._

The image of the man responsible for his father's death had faded to slowly blur with that of his brother's assailant. It all came rushing in on him, the overwhelming wave of negative emotions and whispers of death crashed on top of him. Izumi's body tensed as his mind seemingly went blank.

 _your desire to..._

Without any control over his actions, the amber-eyed boy raised his hand, his palm outstretched towards the pillar of light. Calling out to the sky with the response of waking thunder bellowing it's cryings to the world below as the darkened clouds started to swirl above the arrow.

"Super move: Heavenly Arrow..."

 _Kill..._

The charged metal glowed a striking orange that sparked making a thin connection with the magnet stuck to Stain's chest. The orange bolts that surrounded the arrow seemed to have livened under the influence of the external force as it slowly circled into an expanding halo, of which started to lash out randomly on the stage below it before drawing the bursts of lightning closer to the centre point. Without many options left, Stain could only run forward towards the boy with as much speed as he could muster with two daggers in his hand, the only available resources he had left on his person. Not caring for the inevitable deadly plaintiff that loomed and followed behind him.

Reaching a close enough proximity, Stain launched a blade towards the boy, striking close to his head but could only result in a narrow graze, though that was enough for him to finish it as he wouldn't hesitate this time around. Izumi didn't seem to react much at all to the new cut on his cheek, responding with only a small glance towards the flight path of the blade before turning his head back towards his target, of whom was mere centimeters apart from his face, his elongated tongue hanging loosely as it hung in the air, desperately clinging to have another taste of the youth's blood in hopes of coming out victorious.

This was it, he had the chance to quickly end the fight. All he had to do now was deliver a non-fatal shock to render him unconscious, he just needed to reach out and...

... why couldn't he do it?

 _Kill him._

Izumi's hand dropped. His eyes conveyed no emotion as he simply stared, challenging into Stain's own eyes; the words spilling from his mouth as if it were an impulse.

"Excalibur."

The dark clouds of thunder seemed to bellow in agreement as in an instant, strings of plasma and electricity swirled around the epicentre of the storm's eye. The violent humming radiating from the suspended arrow intensified harshly as the orange halo that surrounded it turned a brilliant white before a pillar of energy pierced the heavens to create chaos on it's intended targets. A harsh light engulfed the two's vision before a deafening crash sent the two in a slight daze.

As soon as the white had overwhelmed their vision and their senses, their temporary loss of sight vanished but was instead replaced with a heavy blurred painting of the world around them. The two stood there, frozen in place as the heavenly bolt had left the mortal plane, dissipating into a charged field of electrons that left their hairs standing on edge. Silence had passed the two as their eyes were glazed with weariness as well as shock from the rather electrifying experience.

 _... *thud*_

Izumi had a good idea of what had happened before him, even if he couldn't exactly see what was in front of him, he could tell what had transpired in the aftermath of their battle.

The hero killer was defeated...

The sudden removal of scarlet red from the overwhelming navy blue background had ducked out of sight, though he couldn't muster the energy to follow where it had gone as his body had suffered under a tremendous amount of stress. He had a general resistance to natural electricity, though suffering an actual direct lightning bolt had caused more than just a terrible headache for the boy. Izumi too collapsed to his knees with heavy and laboured breaths, his arms pressed against the ground, clawing at the floor for dear life. His clothes were drenched in the storm of rainfall but he couldn't feel the overwhelming cold that swirled around him, though he still persisted in retaining his consciousness. Streaks and splotches of red became more prominent on the blue-hued ground as his body trembled and shook violently. He clutched his head painfully as his vision bounced in and out of focus, flashes of red returning to take over once more.

It wasn't as if he hadn't done this before, though that didn't mean that the consequences were less severe. The last time he had attempted such an attack was when he was a child, and even then he was controlled with unbridled anger, having no restraints of his actions. Even when he had devices to help maintain and lessen the stress required to control a live Thunderbolt such as that, along with the fact that he was required to temper the energy with enough restraint to prevent any everlasting damage on Stain's brain, the pain that struck throughout his body was indescribable. He could feel his insides churning, his blood boiling and rising in temperature from the sheer amount of heat that his body radiated. With a loud scream, a fiery tornado erupted around him, removing any excess heat from his body despite the heavy rain that felt cold on his clammy and steaming skin.

It was at times like these that he was appreciative of such a useful quirk, even if it retained darker properties that he'd rather not delve into.

But with the relief of his mind clearing, the thought of his actions had quickly welled up to haunt him. What had happened then? The plan he wanted to carry out wasn't supposed to be so destructive, no, instead it was supposed to be a ploy to capture Stain... so why did he do it? Why did he make such a risky move that could have cost him everything... he couldn't remember. Everything was too foggy for him, did he lose it somehow?

"... _huff_... it's... over..." He muttered tired groans, his body wanted to disagree and berate him for using such a move but the feeling of pain within his arms and legs felt like they were failing; as a testament of the elongated fight that was near peaking the limit of which his body could take due to the constant stress of his quirk, as well as his body. The streaks of grey that flooded his vision were still blurred but in comparison was much more focused than what he was able to see beforehand, meaning that he was steadily coming out of his dazed state.

With a grunt, he forced himself to sit on his behind, his bow sat a good few feet away from where he was but he didn't exactly have it in him right now to retrieve it. He simply opted to stare at the charred heap that was Stain, he could tell that he was still alive from sensing the neuroelectric activity within his brain. It was thin, but he should live. His body had suffered a good deal of burns, though they would likely heal in time, especially considering how far treatment had come in this day of age. Even if he had won, he himself had decided that he had likely taken the matter too far. Even if most studies had said that most victims from lightning strikes lived, there still was a chance of no recovery. Izumi wasn't sure what went through his mind to settle on such an idea, though his clouded mind couldn't muster enough will to continue that thought. Without any warning, a pained grunt emerged from the boy as he clutched his heart painfully, of which soon resulted in the boy heaving a prominent puddle of red onto the ground.

As far as he was concerned, his condition had never reached such a state beforehand and such a development had scared him. He was aware that he had stressed the limits of his abilities, but he couldn't have done this much damage, could he? Most of the potent internal damage had originated from the drastic use of his second quirk, but even then, the price wasn't as steep as this. It never was before...

 _...shink-..._

The choking of air from his lungs pained him as his body shuddered continuously. Amidst the hazy darkness that clouded his mind, he could feel his body come to a stop as something had caught his attention. Eyes widening, his head turned towards Stain's body.

 _Badump... Ba-..dump..._

 _... nothing. Only an eerie silence remained._

"...what...?"

Izumi's mind raced as he watched the overwhelming red grow larger and larger, enveloping his narrowed field of vision. He could feel his breathing hasten, his blood pumping faster as all he could do was simply stare in disbelief of what he saw in front of him.

"No... NO! what... How... It can't... what have I..." Izumi desperately scrambled towards Stain's body in hopes of ascertaining his denial, though his body fell to the ground as he slipped on his own puddle of crimson red. "No, it can't be... I made sure!" Despite the pain that his body felt, despite the screams that voiced their thoughts into his head, he couldn't stop his struggle to dash over to Stain. Red had engulfed his vision as he weakly collapsed on his knees as his body hovered over Stain. His hands quickly reached out to his neck with a desperate hope for something, anything.

...

Without any pause, the amber-eyed hero quickly discarded the charred and now useless breastplate that Stain wore that only served as a hindrance of his chance of salvation. Izumi's hands sparked with a bright vivid hue that hissed against the downpouring rain. Quickly rubbing them together, he could feel the heat that emanated from his hands but didn't pay it any mind as he swiftly slammed his palms against his chest with a definitive sound of shock. Stain's body jumped slightly but his eyes remained closed, his body unmoving. Letting out an audible curse under his breath, he tried again, and again.

Nothing...

Izumi could only stare in horror as the reality set in, his hands fell loosely at his sides as his bottom met the wet concrete splashing in the puddle of Stain's pooling blood.

... He was dead, there was no doubt about it.

"My, my... You look a little troubled there, friend."

* * *

And now... an omake... of sorts. (may or not be in the canon of this story) but to be fair, it's probably a bit longer than an omake should be and I may or may not have succummed to wanting to write Nejire fluff.

To lighten the mood, y'know? Cuz it's Christmas.

As a small author's note, don't take it too seriously, it's just something that I came up with and I thought that it would be funny. But perhaps it's just me and my somewhat dry sense of humor, but I hope that it'll do. Actions and personality will definitely be exaggerated for the purpose of humour.

After all, what's more funny than a socially awkward Izuku against an overbearing Nejire with Izumi standing by, chuckling amused.

I did my best...

Enjoy~

I got this idea from one of Horikoshi's sketches (the Christmas one)

"Y'know your guys' hair reminds me of a Christmas tree, or maybe just any tree in general!" Nejire inquired with her rapt attention stuck on the Midoriya brothers as they looked at her curiously before turning their gaze back to each other inspecting the other's hair. It was true that their hair had a forest green hue to it, though they supposed the bluenette did have a point considering how messy and unkempt both of their hair was.

"Is that so?... I suppose I can see it." Izuku mumbled, placing a finger on his chin in thought while Izumi simply sipped on his Christmas themed mug of tea humming in agreeance. The Christmas season had already come around as a blanket of snow had layered across all of Tokyo. Even the balcony of the Midoriya apartment was caked in a layer of snow, though they didn't really need to mind it as it would clean up itself after it melted a few days later... at least they hoped.

It was only Christmas Eve, but the apartment was decorated to the brim with Christmas themed banners, wreaths and much more thanks to Togata and Nejire's combined enthusiasm and teamwork for the special occasion that they both enjoyed dearly. The six of them had a good laugh as they filled the apartment with as many festive items they could find, not to exclude the Christmas tree of course, which sat brightly at the corner of the house with its many ornaments and lights that brought out a soothing glow over the apartment. A great deal of presents was sat patiently underneath its branches with a variety of labels attached to them due to the fact that there were normally two families that celebrated the festive occasion together.

Tamaki and Togata had come around earlier in the day to hang out with the family and buy their presents but had left to celebrate with their own families once night had started to set in, though they were sure to get everyone a gift to put under the tree. The three Yuuei students sat on the couch talking with each other while Inko was working away at the kitchen to prepare some desserts for tomorrow, occasionally Izumi would go there as well to help with anything that she needed (but he primarily left desserts up to her as she was generally considered the better of the two in that regard due to her creativity and years of experience in satisfying two kids which she never failed to disappoint) or Inko would come to sit next to Izuku and participate in their cheerful conversations and share a nice laugh.

Izuku was comfortable wearing a comfy pair of joggers with an All might t-shirt covered by a special Christmas edition All Might themed sweater that he got from who knows where, though the two senior students could only assume that he probably scoured through the mall to get one or dug it up in the depths of the internet. Izumi, on the other hand, wore some black jeans with a red Christmas turtleneck sweater with a white long sleeved shirt underneath. Nejire wore a loose cream turtleneck long sleeve shirt with a bright red Christmas themed cardigan and scarf.

"Mhm! I wonder if we can decorate you guys like a tree too?" She wondered aloud with a goofy grin as she let her imagination run wild. Izuku sweatdropped in response while Izumi simply looked interested.

"Um, I don't think our hair would be able to support their weight, not to mention that they'd probably fall off Nejire senpai..." He reasoned as Nejire simply sighed in acknowledgement of the fact, seemingly disappointed that she wouldn't get to experience the sight of her boyfriend and his brother as Christmas trees.

"True..." She placed a hand on her cheek, pouting slightly while Izumi lowered his mug.

"Though we can probably just tie them up to our hair, right?" The amber-eyed boy joked, causing the two to look at him with contrasting expressions. Nejire's was one of excitement and giggles whereas Izuku looked slightly fearful of the oncoming embarrassment knowing how stubborn she could be.

"Also true!" Nejire shouted cheerfully, Izuku sighed in response but he couldn't help but admire her enthusiasm as it also caused him to smile slightly as he took a sip of his own mug in amusement at Nejire's eccentrics. To the two's surprise, she suddenly sprang up with even more excitement than before; her aura exuding a great deal of inspiration that gave one a great deal of anxiety and made the other raise an eyebrow curiously. "Oh oh! Wait, I've got it!" Without a moment's thought, the girl brought out a sketching pad with a pencil at her fingers from the bag that sat on her lap before she started to furiously scribble on the paper.

Izuku felt extremely uncomfortable from how Nejire looked up from her pad to look at him with an unnaturally intense gaze. A gaze so intense that he couldn't help but shudder and shrivel up, not to mention that the glint in her eye worried him tremendously, he could even feel sweat fall from his forehead. "... Nii-san, what is she drawing?" He asked tentatively. Izumi offered no help whatsoever as he merely shrugged with his mug still attached to his lips, seemingly wanting to keep what the bouncy bluenette was drawing a surprise. He wasn't even too aware that she had picked up a hobby such as this, though he was definitely intrigued to see what her work would produce.

"Here!" She shouted, quickly turning the pad around to show the two the image she worked hard to produce, her eyes glimmering with pride and excitement.

(refer to Horikoshi's image for a better idea, trust me, I found it really funny once I saw it) The image she drew had Izuku as the primary model, but as Nejire had inquired about earlier, his bushy green hair was instead replaced with a brilliant and large Christmas tree. It was strange to see the goofy freckled face of Izuku support the weight of a tree that large. Izuku couldn't help but nearly faint at the sight, nearly choking on his mug of hot chocolate. Izumi, on the other hand, burst out laughing, tears starting to form in his eyes.

"W-w-w-wwha-" Izuku stuttered out, his face burned a deep hue of crimson in disconcertion of the peculiar image presented in front of him. He could start to feel his motor functions and brain activity start to slow down from that image as the embarrassment seemingly overheated his brain. Izumi did his best to stop himself from laughing, though he stumbled over to Izuku to help him snap out of his trance but only fell over in the process.

"Oh my," Inko commented upon returning to the lounge to find the mess that the three were in. Nejire simply turned towards her, her drawing in hand as she looked towards her eagerly. "That's quite the image you've got there Nejire chan... but why is there a Christmas tree on Izuku's head?" The elder woman asked curiously, tilting her head to the side in genuine confusion. Nejire smiled in response, explaining their previous discussion to her. Inko could only chuckle in response to the eccentricity of youthfulness. Quietly walking over to her two sons, she was able to snap them out of their contrasting states to sit patiently and calmly in their previous sitting arrangements before continuing a normal conversation.

"Oh, it's quite late. Are you staying the night, dearie? You're welcome to sleep here if you want to!" Inko asked the attentive bluenette, who smiled widely at the offer. Izumi smiled, turning his head towards her.

"You said that your parents are coming over, right Nejire?"

"Mhm, then we can celebrate Christmas together! They said that they wanted to spend more time with your family, so they wanted to see if they could come over here to have dinner. Is that alright Inko chan?" The sky-eyed girl sheered, raising a fist in celebration as Inko giggled and nodded.

"Ah, yes. I don't mind, it only makes the occasion all the merrier."

The four soon found themselves walking off to their respective beds. The apartment only had three bedrooms available, meaning that Nejire would have to share with one of the Midoriyas or take the couch. While Inko had offered the girl to sleep in her bed, which had more than enough room for the two of them since it was previously shared with her late husband, Nejire insisted that she was fine sleeping with Izumi, causing the amber-eyed boy to blush lightly but nod in response.

Nejire had borrowed some of Izumi's clothes to sleep for the night as the apartment was quite warmed up to protect them from the harsh winter cold that the outside was wreathed in. Besides, his clothes were a size too big for her considering that he was generally bigger than she was, but she didn't mind the size too much, rather she had commented that it was a lot more comfortable.

The two continued to talk for a little while, keeping each other in their embrace as they talked the night away. Their conversations had covered a broad variety of topics that typically concerned anything that they could think of, which for Nejire was quite a lot. Nevertheless, she did have her limits. She could feel her eyelids start to droop as she let out a soft yawn.

"Goodnight, Izumi." Nejire murmured as she buried her face into her boyfriend's chest, while Izumi simply chuckled, stroking her hair and bringing the covers securely over the two as he whispered his goodnight back. Though he was about to join her in her slumber, the brief flashing of his alarm had caught his attention.

 _12:00_

A soft smile overtook his features as he leaned his lips against her ear.

"Merry Christmas." He whispered before the two drifted off to sleep.

\- sorry, I couldn't help but put that ending in. It was just too cute to pass up, Nejire is just too cute. -

* * *

 **Author's Notes: (heads up, it's long, but I'd appreciate if you read it. I just want to talk about the future of this story)**

 **Welp that took a while...**

 **Hey guys, sorry for the really long delay... I needed to get back into writing after I had some issues, so we'll see how we go from here.**

 **This is just something that I wanted to get off of my chest, so feel free to ignore this paragraph if you wish - I don't really have too much of a plan for the future of this story, though what I mean by that is that I struggle to make up an end for it (considering that BNHA/MHA is long still in its stages of growth before reaching an end), though at the current stage of my story, it's likely too early for that. I'll try not to think too much of it in the future, but I hope that this story remains enjoyable for you guys to read.**

 **-and back to my complaining and regrets-**

 **Oh, and by the way, I probably won't write a chapter of this length ever again... it takes too much time... I'll probably have to split it up the next time something like this comes around... never again. Like it's actually 23,000+ words, half of that could make a decent chapter. Seriously, I don't think I can count the number of times fanfiction crashed when I was writing this. (there was also another portion of the story that was about 3,000+ words that I cut from the ending, but it'll be used in a future chapter)**

 **Anyways, I'm sorry that I had to put so much into this chapter, I really didn't want to stretch it too much because I was kind of getting tired of writing this arc, and I kept finding myself pulling hairs at the whole ordeal, besides, I wouldn't have gotten to the parts included in the next chapters, of which I find will be really interesting (and I hope you guys find it interesting too!) And I hope this doesn't seem too rushed, (though from the length of the chapter as well as how long it took to finish it, I'd like to think that it is, but of course it could still do with some improvements at a later date)**

 **I can say that the next few chapters will probably be more quickly written (or at least less than pretty much two months+... oh wow, now that I'm writing this, I feel really sad... not to mention the guilt of how I said I would try to write a chapter in less than a month... welp, I can only hope that I can do better!) as I have a much better idea of how things will play out from this point forward. (also, there probably won't be any fight scenes during that time period, so at least I don't have to worry too much of that) Whereas this chapter (as well as the last few) took quite a while because it was primarily improvisation without too much of a plan to write the story on, as well as the fact that there were many points within these last few chapters that made me want to rip out my hairs because I didn't think it was good enough or I ended up adding something somewhere then remembering that I probably repeated some things that I had to go and find later, which was such a chore...**

 **Also, I have hopes that the next chapter will leave the hero killer arc and focus on the aftermath (which I think you guys will find interesting.) and will stray from the original story for a bit.**

 **I also apologize for the really long fight scene... I'm not too sure how it would actually go if the typical get-go works, especially with trying to write a proper fight scene with a climactic ending without there being too many plot holes in terms of possibilities that the end result could play out as, because I feel that with Izumi's power to likely take down an enemy in one hit would just be extremely anticlimactic and wouldn't do Stain justice as he's an awesome villain. Besides, I had one even more ridiculous and much more longer than this one, though of course, it was impractical and way too over the top, so I had to cut it off...**

 **... Even then, despite the final cut I made for the fight, there wasn't really too many opportunities that I could think of that would lead to the same conclusion, nor would it be as... uh, cool? Maybe... Perhaps I'll come back to it at a later date in hopes of improving it when I have a more... interesting way to describe the fight.**

 **And at last, I'll finally get a chance to put some Bakugo development in the story in the next few chapters without it feeling too off, nor be a part of the canon story. Given that a certain event will come up, I think that there will be some room to clarify the situation between Bakugo and the Midoriya family.** **I also have some plans to have more Izuocha development coming up in the next few chapters as it is an ideal circumstance that the two can grow together.**

 **Besides... I like writing fluff, it makes me happy on the inside...**

 **Oh and also as a heads up, I'm going to try my hand at making more emotionally heavy scenes in the near future. I can only hope that it goes well as the story hadn't recieved too much of this since chapter 7.**

 **It also feels nice to be able to stray away from the plot of the story a bit, though it was a bit hard to make some changes in scenes that are already defined in the canon without it feeling right, so I hope you guys think it's okay at least... Though the next few chapters will follow a much more original route before I delve into the midterm examinations arc (which I'm not too sure of how to approach at the current moment but will probably think up of something by then) and the training camp arc (which will definitely have some interesting prospects once I get there)**

 **Stain's death also allowed for changes in villains, although there will be ones like Dabi, Toga, Twice (maybe Mr compress?) etc, but I'll probably exclude some of the other villains in trade for some new ones.**

 **Anyways, thanks for reading!**

 **Ignis**


	21. Beneath the mask

**Author's Note:**

 **Enjoy this chapter! Fair warning, there is a slight gap between this chapter and the last one after Nejire's scene, but what happened in between will be explained somewhere along the line so don't worry. Besides, I'm sure some of you can already figure out what's happening.**

 **I'd like to think that this is a pretty exciting chapter, especially for the twist at the end, so enjoy!**

 **(I'm surprised I was actually able to get this out this quick, even if it is a little bit over a week or so.)**

 **Btw, the title for this chapter is the name of the song I had listened to writing this. (it's a persona 5 track, which is a part of why I've been away for so long and it's amazing) Trust me, it's words will shine in this chapter.**

 **Happy New Years everyone!**

* * *

 **Ryuko's Office**

A soft yet large yawn escaped Nejire's mouth as she sat impatiently in front of a small stack of paper. Two other head sized stacks of files sat next to her, but she had pushed them out of her field of vision knowing that just looking at them will just make her feel even more annoyed, not to mention distracting from those that were in front of her, begging just to be put out of the way. Even if her job was to simply stamp the papers in a designated cubed box at the end of each report after a brisk readthrough of their contents, it still was an incredibly boring task, and boring didn't suit Nejire.

The usually bouncy and energetic but now bothered bluenette was stationed at a large and grandiose looking office table that had belonged to the ninth-rated hero of Japan after she had volunteered to help with some leftover paperwork for the day. Though what sat in front of her was simply too much for her standards of patience, all she could do was just try to get through it as quickly as she could, without any help of the other fellow interns who were currently unavailable at this time with either patrols of the city, or were away for the time being.

Ryukyu's office was quite well kept, surrounded by a few paintings and lounging items for interviews or just for relaxation. There were also few sculptures and figurines of dragons placed around the room, most of which were made of gold. Not to mention that the walls were embellished with an array of eccentric and decorative golden markings over the sandy white walls as she had insisted that it made her feel more at home, not that Nejire complained or anything. She was a dragon after all. Nejire had just assumed that she was a fan of the colour gold, as her hair and choice of attire had suggested, though at least she wasn't obsessive over it, nor did she take on the job just for money or fame which was something the bluenette had admired.

Behind the rather comfortable plush and luxurious chair that Nejire sat on was a multipanelled wall of glass that offered quite an outstanding view of the nightlife in the city below the large apartment that they lived in. She would often spend some time watching cars and lights pass below when she felt the need to take a break, though she would occasionally find herself drifting off from the rather mesmerizing sight but return back to work soon after only to repeat the cycle until her work was done.

"Ryuko san! Why do these take so long!" Nejire whined out to her mentor and employer. A drawn-out sigh could be heard from a couple of rooms away from the office Nejire sat in before the soft clicking of heels on the flooring echoed through the framed door.

" _*sigh*_ Nejire, it's just reading then stamping papers. You do most of that stuff at school already, don't you?" A golden blonde woman answered her with a slightly tired yet composed expression. Shoulder length golden bangs had covered the right side of her face, taking on a similar appearance to that of three fangs though the gleaming red eye that laid beneath them stared at her gently. She wore a simple black shirt that had golden outlined scales woven onto the material, accompanied by sunflower yellow jeans. The dragoon hero leaned against the frame of the door with her arms crossed in a motherly like fashion, her gaze softened by nature in looking at the girl she had come to call a close friend over the years.

"I know, but at least I get to learn new stuff when I do! This is just boring..." Nejire pouted.

"It's necessary." The dragoon hero corrected. her finger lifted up to make her point as she closed her eyes in a scholarly manner. Nejire just groaned and slumped over the table with a defeated sigh, along with mumbling something onto the table. From what Ryuko could guess, it was probably something along the lines of agreeance, even if she didn't want to. Chuckling to herself, the woman walked calmly over to the tired schoolgirl and rubbed her back reassuringly.

"We don't have anything else to do for the night, so you'll be free once we get these done, okay?" She said softly, which only made the young hero that was slumped over her desk grumble something incoherent. Frowning in response to her unco-operativeness, Ryuko mulled over something in her mind before moving to sit on the armrest of the large chair. She leaned into her ear, "We can just watch the television together if you want to... just like we always do. I don't have anything else to finish for the night." The offer made the sky-eyed bluenette turn her head upwards to meet her gaze. A soft smile spread across her face as she nodded, seemingly pleased.

"Okay."

Smiling to herself, pleased with the sight of her intern briskly returning to work with a focused expression on her face, the golden blond hero turned to leave.

Time had passed quickly for Nejire as she had seemingly finished all of the leftover work before she even realized it. Taking a moment to actually confirm that she was done, along with double checking she made sure to stamp everything she let out a soft exclamation of glee. Of course, she was careful not to disturb any residents on a lower level as it wouldn't help anyone if she Ryuko were to get a noise complaint from some of the other residents of the building, despite most of them being offices that would most likely be empty by this time. Neatly storing the files away, she took a last look at the softly glittering night behind her before making her way to join Ryuko.

Upon reaching there, she found the dragoon hero nearly dozing off watching some sort of news report of the weather and other recent events. The newscast featured on the large screen had babbled endlessly on different topics of discussion, none of which seemed to currently interest the pro hero. Her eyes glazed from uninterest yet she kept a mature and calm look on her face, her arms and legs crossed over the other as she sat there silently watching. She didn't seem to notice Nejire's approach until she sat beside her, making a noticeable shift in the couch's balance. The bluenette would normally leap onto her close friend but had refrained from doing so, knowing that they had a long day. Blinking herself awake, Ryuko turned to look at Nejire and smiled gently. "It seems you're done." She commented calmly, Nejire nodded wordlessly in response.

"Thank you for doing those for me, I know that you aren't fond of doing boring things." She sighed, leaning back to let herself sink into the comfort of the couch. Nejire giggled at the sight of her mentor's rare moment of discomposure, though she didn't make any move to tease her on it, which Ryuko appreciated. She simply moved to join her, bringing her legs up to her chest for her heels to stand at the edge of the seat while she huddled closer to her. Ryuko smiled at the action and picked up the remote for the controller before the two started to go through different channels for a good amount of time.

There were a few instances where Ryuko would drift off to sleep while Nejire had her rapt attention stuck on either a nature documentary or a drama of sorts that she would find interesting. There were also instances of which Nejire would fall asleep while the dragoon hero had her attention captured by the same shows before she could bother flicking to the next channel. About an hour into their little session of doing nothing but watch TV, Ryuko had caught Nejire staring at her phone with a sleepy yet disheartened expression in her face. The usually cheery bluenette puffed her cheeks out before setting it on the armrest beside her and returned her attention back to the show the two were currently watching.

"You worried about your boyfriend?" Ryuko asked, a small teasing smile on her face. The bluenette quickly turned her head towards her with light rosy cheeks, eyes wide in surprise before she laughed a little and nodded slightly making a small hum to approve of her guess.

"I just wonder when he'll be able to text me back, I know he's probably busy at the moment." She confessed, her eyes glued to the screen. Ryuko frowned before taking a glance at a nearby clock that hung on the wall. It was rather late, in fact, it was nearly midnight. Further evident by the full moon hanging above the clouded sky that mysteriously started drifting in to infiltrate a previously clear sky. "At this time of night?" The dragoon hero mused, concerned and confused. Nejire simply nodded, her eyes slightly wincing at the mention of the time. "Mhm, he said that his group were currently tracking down that Hero Killer that has been making a scene at Hosu City." She responded, seemingly saddened at the prospect, but she could understand. From what she had heard, the Hero Killer was quite a dangerous criminal. Even taking on the likes of Ingenium, a popular and not to mention powerful hero... but to end up with his dreams crushed without the functioning use of his legs as the reports had said.

"Even then, it's still far too late to continue working." Ryuko argued, which caused no visible reaction whatsoever from the girl beside her.

"... I know."

The two sat in silence, the only sound heard in the room was the drama that played on the large screen television. The golden blonde hero started to tense uncomfortably at the silence of her sidekick, her eyes seemingly glued sadly to the screen. Taking another glance at the night sky that was framed by the balcony's door panels, Ryuko sighed to herself before grabbing the controller and turning the volume down to zero, though surprisingly Nejire didn't seem surprised or even react. Instead, she simply just sat there and stared at what was still playing, even if there was no sound to lead her on about what was going on. Growing increasingly concerned, Ryuko moved in front of the distant bluenette, who had finally blinked in a waking up sort of fashion, seemingly settling back into reality. She looked up curiously to meet her gaze, only to be met with furrowed brows and a concerned frown.

"You should get to bed, Nejire. You'll have school tomorrow, so you'll have to wake up in time for the train." She told her gently, much like how a mother would when she would send her child to bed. Taking a moment to look out at the night, she turned her head back to her and nodded blankly. Nodding back, Ryuko stood out of the way for Nejire to stand up. As she did so, she found herself quickly engulfed in a warm embrace. Surprise was the first thing present on her face, though her expression softened quickly as the bluenette remained there unmoving. With a soft chuckle, she softly patted her head, a small giggle from the girl in her arms had sent tingles down her spine, though it wasn't an unwelcome feeling.

Letting go of the slightly taller woman, Nejire smiled brightly in thanks before making her way back to her bed. Of which was located in a special guest room that Ryuko would always have prepared for whenever the endlessly curious girl would come over. Though she stopped by the doorframe as she glided her hand down the wooden frame as she briefly turned around back to the surprised hero and smiled gently.

"Goodnight." She said kindly, though Ryuko could feel the underlying meaning of her appreciation in her words. Chuckling, she raised a hand and waved.

"Goodnight Nejire."

Nodding, she continued her long-awaited journey back to the comforts of her bed. Opening the door to the room Ryuko had given her, she flopped onto the soft yet firm body of the mattress, letting herself sink into its shape and enjoy the cooled surface. The room was kept simple, yet it had a personal touch of Nejire added to it after the many nights she would spend here. After a moment of pause, she quickly flipped around so she would lie on her back as she stared at the star-filled ceiling, which had amassed a great deal of glow in the dark stickers that she greatly enjoyed watching before she fell asleep.

Reaching her hand down to her pockets, she dragged out her phone once more. Clicking the power button on the side of the phone, a bright, yet tolerable light had shone on her face. A small frown had found its way on her lips as she didn't receive any new messages of the sorts.

None at all.

With a sigh, she turned it back off and placed it on the nightstand next to her bed to charge after the charger was inserted into the phone. With everything else done, all she could do was just stare at the decorated ceiling she had put so much effort in making and hope that sleep would overtake her soon.

Back with Ryuko, the woman sighed as she took a moment to consider her options. She had considered returning back to bed, but she had decided that a little more time with the news wouldn't hurt. Sitting back on the couch with a soft thud, she took hold of the remote and put the newscasting channel up and let herself unwind again. As time passed, she grew increasingly tense. Especially considering the main topic being discussed at the current moment was the reported murder of the Hero Killer in Hosu city.

"Oh dear..."

* * *

 **...?...**

It was dark; an endless void of black surrounded him. The torn and wet rag that covered his eyes was pressed tightly against his skin yet it didn't provide discomfort to it's wearer. His shallow breaths and the jingling chorus of chains echoed in the empty room, granting him the only company they could offer. He was sat in a creaky wooden chair of sorts; his limbs tied down to the withered wood, though he gave up on struggling long ago as he let the despairing cold overtake his body. His forest mix hair was a tangled mess as his strands of hair dangled wetly over the cloth that blinded him. He felt weak, abandoned... but he knew that this was of his own accord, and now he had to do what he could still retain his pride as a hero... if he could still call himself that.

He was too deep now, he made an unforgivable mistake, a sin that couldn't be erased. All Izumi could do now was think back.

What happened then?

What had led up to this point of wallowing despair? Were all those years of blood, sweat and tears for nothing?

What made him lose all sense of his moral compass, why did his walls of restraint crumble in that one moment? He didn't know.

He had spent so many years and devoted so much time into keeping that one side of him in check. So much time learning more to life, gaining more reasons to repress his anger that held tightly over his heart... or perhaps he was just running away from the truth. Perhaps this... side of him also wished for destruction. He could vaguely remember those crimson eyes of Stain that begged him to push harder and fight without restraints, though there were also those eyes of pity and sadness... perhaps it was just his imagination, it probably was. From how Stain fought with no bars holding him back, there was no sign of weakness from the man...

Then again, he was wrong about that before as well.

 _"Izumi... I'm sorry... forgive me..."_ He could faintly remember the voice of a man he thought to be once invincible. He bit his lip in shame at the single corrupt thought of weakness that overtook him as he shuddered in dread.

The hero killer was just one man. A man who envisioned a change for a better world, even if his methodology and views of others that stood in his way were less than just of the justice he so yearned for. What reason did he have to let loose on him, he was just a villain. A villain that a hero should have put in jail, not execute them. Though it only made him question more and more if he was truly one at all. He took pleasure in the pain of others, especially those who had cowered in fear before him or the people who had met with the void of darkness upon being at the receiving end of his quirk. To him, they were all the same. Heartless bastards that hurt and take lives for their own benefit or even pleasure. Scum who ripped apart families and beat them mercilessly in front of their children... like that one man.

They were all the same to him, but even then he was able to hold back once his life had finally become meaningful. So why? He had only gotten back full circle at the starting point. Flashes of that one night kept coming back to haunt him.

The blurred yet distinct image of blooming red on his hands, a bright light shoved in his face while he was met with two icy blue orbs.

A head of green and the sound of chains.

Then came the present, locked away in who knows where alone. No end in sight of his release, if there even was an exit for his freedom. Perhaps he would meet his end here, with how he currently felt, he certainly wouldn't mind. He felt like the scum of the earth, a problem that only caused more problems for others... and now he hit it big time. Not only for those close to him, but the entire hero society. They would most certainly know... that it was his fault.

He was here for a reason right?

Oh... that's right.

He was captured.

Or perhaps captured was the wrong term to use here. No, he gave in willingly.

After what he had done, a normal person would have either run away with their crimes trailing behind them or give themselves in to the police to retain what little pride they had left...

But this wasn't a solitary cell to keep him away from others, not even close.

Perhaps he could have fought on to hold onto the little pride he had left that night, that moment... but an unfortunate circumstance had rendered him unable to do anything... anything at all. A circumstance that would sooner or later bloom into regret. This was the final error that would breed even more pain in this unfair game of suffering, though this was only the start of what he could only imagine of his future.

He couldn't do anything, even his quirk was somehow negated; He could remember the stinging cold that erupted through his body as a syringe was jammed into his veins. Izumi couldn't even come to comprehend how they had manufactured such a product, such things weren't even heard of, or else it would have been much more effective in handling dangerous villains... or even heroes.

But right now, Izumi didn't regret his choice of handing himself in... even if it were to the villains. He still had the chance to save someone close to him.

"Hm? You're awake it seems..." A strained voice cut through the still silence, yet their tone was warmer than that of the air that was distilled from the vents that sat out of their reach. Even if his vision was cut off, he could still recognize the dry voice that called out to him. Not a moment later, he felt a harsh blast of water splash onto his face. The icy coldness of the liquid made him tremble, though he felt more concerned of the water that started to forcefully make it's way down his throat as he sputtered out heavy coughs.

A low chuckle could be heard at the other end as the harsh chime of metal crashing against the floor resounded around the room, causing Izumi even more discomfort in his restraints. "Hehe, I've always wanted to do that... It looked so fun in the movies," They said condescendingly. Izumi let out a loose sigh, frustration starting to bubble from inside him, yet he saw no reason to not respond to his first statement at least. It was better than trying to stay silent, nothing would get done anyways, not to mention that he'd rather prefer to keep himself dry, for the most part.

"I've been awake for a while now... though I can't say that I'll be drifting off anytime soon." He snarked out weakly, still coughing a little from the surprise attack yet it was simply the truth; though silence only came from the receiving end. The room became devoid of any noise, only the soft dripping of the icy water that showered the ground and pooled beneath Izumi, though he started to feel restless as a certain someone weighed at the forefront of their mind. "... Is she safe?" He whispered with his head hanging low, ignoring everything else, even his annoyance and pride put to the side.

"Yes, I hold onto my promises." They told him without any pause. He could hear the slight shuffling of clothes in front of him, though they showed no signs of lying from what he could tell. He numbly nodded his head in response, relieved that he could still save someone.

"Good... Are you going to release her?" He asked hopefully, though he already knew what they were going to say.

"... no, not yet." Of course, what else would he expect? They wanted him here for a reason, why would they let his only leverage go if they needed him for something... no, the guilt of spilt blood on his hands wouldn't have stopped him from obliging to whatever request they had. He knew that they didn't mean well, whatever they would ask of him would likely be something that he'd never do with free will.

"I see..." He murmured quietly before remaining silent.

"..."

"What do you want? I wouldn't say that I'm the best conversation partner in my current state." He weakly joked but fell into a small fit of coughs. The person before them only continued to watch in silence as their weak yet noisy fit weakened, their breaths evening. They didn't seem to be fazed by his condition at all nor did they seem concerned that they could potentially lose something valuable. It only made him question what they wanted of him, what they saw of him... but he knew that he wouldn't get those answers easily.

"I know, but still... I brought you here for a reason." They replied cooly, though they could only scoff at the dull and obvious response.

"I am aware, yes. There isn't any other reason I would still be alive anyway." They added as the two fell into silence once more. It was now a waiting game for the first to break, though he only knew that he needed them to tell him what they wanted of him, or else the conversation wouldn't go anywhere. It was only a matter of time before he got his answer, though it was one he wouldn't like.

"..."

"... I want you to join us." They said simply.

The words echoed around the empty room, Izumi's breath hitched slightly at the offer yet he remained silent, pondering their words.

"... us?" He tentatively asked, the opposition only nodded in response, though it wasn't as if he could see it.

"Yes, the league of villains."

No, there was no way.

"What? You honestly expect me to join a group like yours? You've hurt many in that Hosu city incident. I know that only you are the only guys capable of manufacturing those Nomus... Even if there was no way in hell that guy would be capable enough of creating such monstrosities on his own, there haven't been any other signs of their appearance other than that being linked to Shigaraki... I know it, I saw him myself. Not to mention the first appearance of them during the USJ attack... but most of all, you threatened Izuku and his entire class." He spat out in anger, though a quiet and low chuckle only came out from the other side.

"Yet you let him go and went after Stain instead? That's quite intriguing... why?" They asked, yet Izumi knew what they were looking for but he was steadfast not to give any space for them in this battle.

"I only went after Stain, because I knew that someone was about to die... besides, that was during my search for Iida. At that time, two of the Nomus have already been dealt with, the third was being hunted down. Not to mention that taking him out would be pointless as he wasn't directly commanding them, at least from what I could tell." He supplied bitterly, the person in front of him could only nod again in response.

"Perhaps you're right... but from how I see it, it seems you're the same as him, that blue-haired boy." The figure gleamed in a wicked yet amused manner, Izumi could only furrow his eyebrow in confusion. What did he mean by that? Why Iida?

"Why do you say that?"

"I was there, watching as the poor boy got all cut up and thrashed. Stain said some pretty mean things to him though... but that didn't mean that they weren't true~" They cooed out in a mocking manner as it started to make Izumi's blood boil.

"Why you-"

"Calm down... Perhaps it was hasty of me to refer to that name; though believe me, it was primarily for amusement, that's all." They said with a small chuckle before their tone returned back to it's stoic and blank persona before they continued, "To be clear, I am not referring to... that group." They corrected themselves, briefly walking around him before halting his movements from behind him.

"You're right in assuming that we were the ones that manufactured the Nomus. See, I work under a different man than that hand faced man-child. No, the man I work under is much more powerful, much more cunning and all the more evil." They started to pace themselves from behind where Izumi sat, though it appeared that they wanted to prolong their monologue a little longer.

"The league of Villains is only a name, a banner that will become a new strength and boon for what the world defines as evil. It's only a small thing right now, there are only two that we could consider 'real members'... but as I said before, it will slowly grow." Considering their words for a moment in thought, Izumi turned his head around as much as he could despite his hunched form would allow.

"So what? You want me to join them on their little schemes?" He said blankly, yet there was an underlying tone of bitterness in his voice, knowing that he didn't have any say in the matter due to the leverage they had on him. Leverage so powerful that he wouldn't dare to make a move that could potentially end up causing them harm, and they knew that. The unrestrained soul in the room chuckled lightly before the stretching of leather faintly rustled as they held a hand to their cheek in amusement, while the other propped it up from underneath it.

"No, you've already done a splendid job of advertising and exposing the cracks in this crumbling society of black and white. It's only a matter of time before more people become aware of them... Our new recruits will be joining soon, I can feel it..."

Izumi's breath hitched at the mention of his part in the play, he averted his blinded gaze to the side as he bit his lip in frustration. It would be foolish of him to not understand the gravity of his actions that night, he had who knows how long spent in an empty room thinking about his actions.

"Think of it this way... ' _Headline news: A rising hero's first kill._ '" They proposed, leaning up against his ear causing him to shiver slightly. He could feel the disgusting smirk that grew upon their faces, but they luckily stepped back giving him room to breathe before they continued to pace around him in circles like a beast stalking their prey.

"I'm sure you're more than aware of how the legal system in Japan, at least concerning that of heroes. After all, you've been under the number two hero's thumb for over two years... I'm sure he must have been very strict on work ethics, not to mention his greed of power with his vain attempts to surpass All Might with that poor child of his... and maybe you as well." They said, trailing off at the end before shaking their head. "There are quite a lot of rules in play when it comes to using the world's newfound quirks, you know. Of course, the line of what separates us villains from you heroes are whether or not we play by the rules like a dog on a leash. Unable to let loose or use our quirks as we please... they just want us to cut all ties of our own individualities, turning us back into what we were before the world's supernatural became normal."

Izumi shook his head in denial of their reasoning, he knew better than letting people have free use over their quirks.

"No... we have those laws set because it maintains order." He said sternly, a frown overtaking his features. Though a nod came from the figure that stood beside them.

"Oh, I'm more than aware of that; and to be quite frank, it's the most logical method to keep others from following our example." They sneered, taking in a deep breath before tapping their foot impatiently. "Given that if there weren't any laws set about these quirks, I'm sure that the world would have been ruled by a system of anarchy. People fending for themselves and unable to protect the ones they care about because they simply didn't have the means to defeat the opposition... Only the ones with crushing and overwhelming power would come out on top, whether they were good or bad."

That was right, that would have been the most logical theory if there weren't any laws set against the ban of quirks without a proper license of sorts. It was a surprise that it hasn't already happened before. There were no news of such an occurrence happening beforehand in any sort of government official document he had come across during his studies... so why?

"... why are you telling me this?"

The figure turned towards them once more, leaning up against his face.

"Because it has already happened once before, not that it would end up in history books since the government have already used every available asset they have under their power to rid of any evidence that would spread panic amongst its people. They've silenced any and all rumours of such an event ever happening... all thanks to All Might's wishes for it to have never happened, or for news of it to spread." Izumi tilted his head, obviously confused at the unbelievable claim, yet he had a sneaking suspicion that it may not be as fiction as he once thought.

"I'm sure you know of All Might's weakened state... and I know that even your brother is aware of his injury since he's such a big fan of his. But perhaps he may not truly know what was the cause of it." They mused, causing Izumi to connect the dots in his head. His breath hitched at the thought of the villain's knowing of All Might's visible change in forms. Did they truly know of One for All's power?... No, what he said doesn't necessarily mean that he knows... He had to play it safe, and he had to think fast. A moment passed as he remembered one of Izuku's own rants on the matter back when they were younger, at least a few years back. Izumi's eyes widened at the realization, though it quickly morphed into one of even stranger confusion.

"When he looked it up online, it mentioned an encounter with a villain by the name of 'Toxic Chainsaw'... but there weren't any sort of profiling data on them at all." With a soft click of their tongue, his assumption was proven correct.

"Exactly."

"... But what does that mean? If such a villain truly existed, and if such a man had been able to deal such a dangerous wound to All Might was left alive, then wouldn't he at least be locked up in Tartarus? Not to mention that he would at least be known as an identified threat that had been taken down... So what are you trying to get at?" Izumi asked, obviously frustrated at the whole ordeal. The figure merely shrugged in an uncaring matter before they leaned back against the wooden chair that Izumi sat in.

"To put it simply... he died." They said in a nonchalant manner. Though it had a much different effect on the young hero.

"Wait... are you insinuating that-"

"All Might killed him? Yes, I am." They said in a rather emotionless tone. The pressure on the wood was released as they moved forward from it, causing the decaying material to creak loudly. It only made the forest haired boy even more uncomfortable as a soft chuckle emitted from the person behind them, slowly making their way in front of him. "To think that the number one hero would have his hands stained with blood... pitiful, isn't it? Yet it's so ironically beautiful." They praised madly, voice escalating as they drew their hands up.

"A man, who would be praised as a hero that protected the world from the darkness that plagued their land. Rid evil from harming those innocent, and would never break the code that made a hero... though there was one moment that dictated his fate into decline, and even let his people down as the cracks of the pillar are starting to show." Izumi couldn't help but listen to their mad preachings, he couldn't do anything but sit their silently... even if he wanted to move, his body felt as heavy as lead. His head hung low as he strung together all that he had heard, simply not factoring the care of whether or not the source was one he could truly trust... but they spoke of experience, and passion. "A moment that decided one man's life or death... yet they could cheat death and impose the penalties for both death... and life."

It couldn't be... how?

"What?! T-they're-"

"Especially considering that the one man who stood on top of a world evolving with quirks. The cunning devil who had cheated fate. The one who made All Might pay the price for both his death... and return, is still alive." The punchline was delivered, and it had it's intended effect on the young hero. They could only stare aimlessly in shock, while the figure giggled childishly. "To think all that effort All Might put into stopping that man, even to leave the battlefield with a wound that would lessen his days playing hero by a landslide... was for nought."

"Just who... or what is this man?" Izumi muttered under his breath in disbelief. He was more than aware of how powerful All Might was, especially considering that even during his weakened state, he could deliver a single punch that could break any hill or obstacle. Not to mention that during his prime, he was even more powerful with the full use of his bodily functions than the lingering dregs that were his organs. They simply shrugged their shoulders to his question, not even they truly knew what he was... but they at least knew that what that person was now, was definitely not human... not anymore.

"You'll be meeting him soon enough... At least, after our talk is finished." They proposed as they moved to lean their elbows on the rail of the creaky wooden chair. "But I have a feeling that you two will come to know each other... on a personal level." They whispered into Izumi's ear, causing the student no end of discomfort once again. They were amused at the prospect of his mentor and the fallen angel meeting, though he would not have to wait too long. Taking a step back to observe their works, they smiled sinisterly, seemingly satisfied with their efforts before turning around to leave. Perhaps they may not have been to say what they wanted to say to the amber-eyed hero, but that opportunity could always come at another time.

As they reached their hand out towards the door's handle, their familiar voice pierced through the empty and dull nature of the room.

"Why do you work for such a man?" It seems that fate has a different idea in store for the two of them.

The question was left to linger in the chilled air as the figure stopped in their tracks to turn their head back towards the restrained hero. Blinking once, they let go of the cooled handle of the door and leaned their back against the door frame.

"...Now that's rather sudden. Why do you ask that?" They said, curiosity piquing their interest rather than showing any sign of discomfort. It took a moment for Izumi to come up with an answer, but luckily, they felt unusually patient. Shifting his head to the side in thought, all he could do was try to talk with experience.

"Every person has an origin that turns their life one way or the other... call it a hunch of sorts, but I can't help but feel that you're familiar somehow." Izumi would admit that he wasn't as empathetic to the likes of villains, but he, like many others understood that everyone changed one way or another for a reason. He always had this feeling of familiarity around them when he would be in their presence, as few times as that may be... 3 if he was counting. If he was someone that he had known in the past... then surely he couldn't have been all bad in the beginning, right? Even Kai... he wasn't bad, not to him. He didn't know his circumstances, but Izumi had a sneaking suspicion of what made him change all those years ago.

Silence had returned to fill the room with an airtight tension that left him on edge, yet it was a new lead nonetheless. For what? He didn't know... but perhaps he could glean a small light that could help him.

"So why?"

A moment had passed in silence once more, though as Izumi had started losing hope for an answer a soft sigh could be heard at the receiving end of the room. They dragged their hands through their hair in deep thought before deciding to pace around the room. They believed it was a good opportunity to at least open up since they were going to be working together, whether Izumi liked it or not.

"... He saved me when no one else would. He held my hand when I was meant to die, but was given new life. He took me in when my own family forsaked my own existence and simply believed that I 'died', all because of a lack of foresight and knowledge of my... 'condition' let's call it." Izumi listened curiously as they paused for a moment, their footsteps halted. A soft smile crept up on the face of the mysterious figure, even Izumi couldn't see it. It wasn't for him, but themselves... They couldn't exactly describe this feeling, perhaps relief was the best way to describe it. It felt good to let of some things off of their chest... but they were still careful not to give too much except what was necessary for him to be satisfied. Perhaps they could play some games with him while he was at it.

"I wonder... perhaps I may have a tombstone somewhere out in a cemetery, wherever that may be... but would they still take the time to visit it?" A chuckle escaped their lips along with the shake of their head and hair softly flinging around their face, "... no, not anymore." they muttered bitterly.

Izumi tilted his head curiously in thought, his lower lip bit regretfully.

"How can you be so sure? You're still alive, so I would imagine that you would want to see them, right?"

"... I suppose you have a point; and to be honest, I already have come face to face with them..." They paused, only causing curiosity to bubble within Izumi as he listened intently. A sigh escaped the lips of his captor, they moved to stand beside where Izumi sat, though they seemed to stare off into space.

"But they didn't accept me... and they probably never will." They said numbly, emotionlessly. Like it didn't bother them too much, or perhaps it had been so long that they had forgotten what their lives meant to them. Nevertheless, it was an expected answer, no matter how sad or painful it was to hear, it was just reality, and there was nothing that could be done to change that. The only thing left was why.

"What do you mean?"

"When I came to look them in the eye, I was simply someone they didn't recognize anymore... It wasn't hard to tell that I wasn't a part of that family anymore." They drummed their fingers over the edge of the seat, tapping the wood in a rhythmic pattern as they listed off those memories they wouldn't forget.

"Sadness, fear... and anger. They may all have looked at me differently with varying reactions, but I knew that I wasn't the same as back then... and they knew that as well." Underneath the rags, Izumi's eyes widened in surprise, if not slight fear of what could have happened. What could he have meant by that? Well, there were only really to ways that he could think of happening... and he was nearly too afraid to ask.

"...What did you do?" The figure turned to him, brow raised.

"Oh, there was no need for any effort on my behalf... all of our encounters, except one, happened by circumstance." They ended sadly, which only caused more fear to bubble within him.

"What did you-"

"Tell me... do you hate me, brother?" They interrupted him, the question taking a moment to register in his mind.

"What do you-" A satisfied smirk formed across their face as they took in the look of pure distress that occurred on Izumi's face. It really did pay off for them to finally reveal the truth bomb that they've been wanting to do for so long... and now things can finally take its course.

Izumi stared into the darkness in disbelief, flashes of images blinded his already void vision. His brain started connecting the dots of his captor's words, even if the connections were ones that he found to be ugly and displeasing. They shook their head in denial, though they had a relatively solid idea of who this 'familiar stranger' was.

A great deal of Izumi's earlier memories always had a feeling of emptiness. Ever since their shared fourth birthday, the family had been left with a missing piece in the picture. The memory of a raven-haired boy with the same piercing eyes as both his father and his brother, always standing beside his counterpart shyly but had one of the brightest smiles out of the entire family. The trip to the dreaded and imposing hospital was one of misery and panic for all of them as if the building itself was merely a gateway of death... sentencing a once bright smile to damnation.

To think that the once shy boy that would always stand by his side would be here in front of him, looking down on him with a devilish smirk. Not to mention fallen down the wrong path in death.

"No... you couldn't be... but how?!" Another sigh escaped their lips, more of annoyance that he took so long to finally get the hint. Nevertheless, it was finally out there for Izumi to take a good long look at. Despite the scene feeling cliché, it still gave them the feeling of overwhelming pleasure and power to find that their long lost twin was on the opposite side to them. Even in his position of power, he wanted to tease him a bit further as he put up a mock frown, not that he could really see it.

"It was painful you know... To look you in the eye and find that you only saw me as a lowly villain, rather than even recognizing the fact that your long lost brother has come to see you." The blindfold was suddenly ripped from Izumi's head, exposing him to the harsh dull room that took a moment for him to collect himself even with the darkened hues. A maddened chuckle escaped from those familiar pale lips as the young hero's darkened amber eyes looked up to recognize the face that belonged to his counterpart. It was painful, taking in how pale his skin was, how dead his eyes looked despite the glee in their eyes. The unkempt strands of raven hair trailing down his face. He winced at taking in it all... he too had fallen from grace, all because of him.

"You know, it's funny... I never would have imagined that only one child of three would have actually inherited quirks related to both mom and dad... to think that little Izuku and I would be so much different, yet so much the same." Mizu commented slyly, causing Izumi to glare at him slightly. His amber orange eyes lightening up in anger.

"Izuku isn't like you." He snarled, causing the raven-haired boy to shrug nonchalantly, seemingly unaffected by his brother's conflicting attitude. "If only you knew..." He muttered under his breath, though it was quiet enough for Izumi not to hear it. Mizu shook his head to rid the thought from his mind as he turned around. "I'm well aware that he now plays the hero... I see quite the rising star in him... and I'd prefer to keep it that way." The icy-eyed boy said, smiling, his head turned so his eyes could meet his. The anger that welled up inside Izumi withered as he could only offer a look of utter confusion and surprise. Seeing no reason to not humor him, he also decided to have one more game of fun... and this one would especially be amusing.

"Well, we're the bad guys now... and I think your battle with him will be even more interesting than our own rivalry, don't you think?" Mizu grinned wickedly, causing Izumi to widen his eyes in fear. He could even see how white his already pale skin had turned. Even his fingers that were lodged in his palm started to draw blood. With a mad laugh, they walked towards the door with a feeling of victory.

"I look forward to our co-operation, Iwaizumi Midoriya."

Opening the door to reveal the pitch black corridors, they took one last glance at the fallen hero.

"... and welcome back, dear brother." He whispered softly in a mocking tone before slamming the door shut. With that he was all alone once more. The lingering echo of the shadow of his brother's mad cackles made Izumi tremble as he simply wanted to curl up into a ball and fade away. It all came crashing down on him, the reality of his situation not to mention that the future for him looked extremely bleak.

"Mizu... Izuku, mom... Nejire... I'm so sorry." He whispered pathetically as darkness took it's hold over him once more.

What has he done?

* * *

A harsh sigh escaped Mizu's lips as he walked down the quiet dark corridors of the maze that his master was hidden in. Even in total darkness, he didn't need any light to save him. All he needed was his own sense of survival, using his own abilities to be able to determine a map through the use of vibrations from every step he took that echoed throughout his body.

He wandered and drifted through many different cuts and turns, though his mind seemed to be elsewhere. Drifting back to the night he had found Izumi beside Stain's body... or perhaps 'found' wasn't the right term, in fact, he had watched the whole spectacle in it's entirety. It really was quite the sight to see two intriguing people duke it out against each other to claim the title as the victor. One was out for blood, yet held a prideful sense of justice, while the other acted in the name of saving and protecting others despite the conflicting light within them screaming for blood. The rain had set for a perfect environment of which he could enact his plan. The plan was of course, capture Iwaizumi Midoriya.

This particular event would set the course for a great asset to join their cause. Mizu could only watch on as a spectator in the play, only joining in with his own lines once the battle was well over and Stain was dead. He remembered stalking quietly towards the distressed hero. His eyes wide and his actions frantic as he did all he could, extended the use of his quirk to hopefully bring back the dead... but to no avail. He was powerless to do anything as he could only claw at his soaked forest green hair. Mizu's tight-lipped frown at the scene only showed pity for his brother, though he had a job to do.

"My, my... You look a little troubled there, friend." His words echoed in the pouring rain.

He could remember the terror-filled gaze that met his own, but it wasn't of fear of him but rather what he had done. He still appeared to have been in shock of the life he had just taken... If only he knew. What had come next was quite easily a hopeless fight. The sight that proclaimed light offered no resistance to his attacks other than a reflex induced attempt at a block, but he was already too worn out to put up a real fight for him. Izumi was pushed to the floor as Mizu quickly dragged him up by the head with a seemingly angry expression, for what reason, Izumi didn't know... and neither did Mizu.

He gripped at both ends of his head, strands of hair tousled between his bare fingers that dug into his scalp painfully, nearly drawing blood. He stared at his brother with a frighteningly intense gaze, though all Izumi could feel was a strange sensation that made his mind blank. Despite the pain that erupted throughout his body, an overwhelming calm had rid any sort of distraction present form his mind. Mizu could see the effect take place as he grunted, seemingly displeased before letting go of his struggling twin. Letting him collapse onto the wet concrete, the effect vanished as he was met with unbridled pain.

It became all the harder to breathe for Izumi as the taste of iron had blossomed within his mouth. He couldn't think straight through the pressure that his brain suffered from as it felt as if his head was being pressed against two rock slabs. Though despite the head-splitting pain he felt, he could find little comfort from the coldness of the ground. It was little, but it was all he could get. He laid in a heaping mess on the ground, breathing heavily as his mind had attempted to recover from the excruciating yet confusing attack. Countless questions had formed within his head, though they all came to a dead end. A firm, yet oddly gentle hand had made it's hold over his neck as he was slowly pulled up to meet his assailant face to face. His amber eyes grew clouded and dark, staring the person before him, meeting Mizu's icy gaze of blue.

He was met with silence, as well as a dissapointed expression on Mizu's face. He immediately tossed him away with a kick to collide against the stone bench that served as the railing for the building; watching as Izumi gained his bearings to stand up again, only to stumble to the ground and release more red onto the cold floor, only to be swept away by the rainstorm. He couldn't see the expression that had adorned on Mizu's as his vision was distorted and blurred, red slowly seeping into what was previously blue, turning a rich deep purple. He could only imagine the sadistic grin that was on their face, the same expression most villains had when they savoured a hero's agony and torment... but rather Mizu could only offer a blank expression that held a mix of conflicting emotions that couldn't come to light on his face, leaving it a blank slate. There was no other choice for Izumi but to rise, even if it meant that he would be knocked down again.

"You know there are a lot of people that want you dead... though watching you exhaust your energy after your fight against the hero killer... was too good of an opportunity to pass up." Mizu said quietly, walking up to him.

Izumi's body felt weak, he couldn't even muster the will to speak as his mind was continually focused on the reality of a death by his hand. Seeing the unfocused gaze the third year student's eyes gave off, the figure huffed in annoyance before settling on kicking his ribs painfully as Izumi gasped sharply, his focus returning. "W-what..?" Seemingly unsatisfied, he threw him against a wall before hovering over him to assert their dominance in the play. His furrowed brows had conveyed a wave of silent anger directed towards Izumi, though he could only try to glare back.

"So... what...? You... want to... kill me...?" Izumi asked in a raspy voice, though even he could tell that his voice was failing him then. His voice was devoid of any sort of hope, his mind elsewhere despite the danger his life was in. Izumi's confusion -despite his expression primarily being enveloped with an overwhelming sense of tire and caution- had been apparent when Mizu let out a low chuckle, shaking their head to deny the claim, but instead outstretched his hand towards him in a gesture of praise.

"No... you're going to be coming with me." He leered at him with an empty glare. Izumi could only raise his eyebrow at this, knowing of the many routes that this could follow, though he had a feeling that he wasn't going to like where this one led him. Not to mention that he was unable to do anything at the current moment, and unfortunately, Mizu knew this too. He couldn't fight back, no matter how hard he tried...

Unless...

"What... are you planning...?" He asked, seemingly much more in control than before as his amber eyes glared at him.

"Oh, it doesn't matter, you don't really have a say in this anyways." The azure-eyed figure shook his head. To Izumi's surprise, the figure had brought out an ornate black dagger from his waist, causing the third year student to become on edge but retain calm and caution, despite his body's protest to stop fighting but he ignored its cries. His eyes watched the blade as well as the figure in their entirety warily, if he was correct in assuming this was the same person he had met during the USJ attack, then adding a weapon into his arsenal was a prominent premonition for danger.

Though instead of rushing or throwing the blades towards Izumi as he had expected, the raven-haired boy instead swiftly nicked his finger, of which resulted in a light but most likely recoverable wound. Continuing to frown, they quickly stored the dagger away in its sheath. Of which revealed a few more alongside it as they drew their cloak back and pointed his finger towards Izumi in an intimidating manner.

Blood seeped from the wound, though the injury was incredibly shallow as it could only slowly yet dreadfully produce one hanging drop of thick crimson red liquid.

And then...

drip...

The crimson droplet had escaped it's budding hold from the cloaked figure's split-finger. The rain droplets had run down their finger, intermingling with the iron filled contents of the scarlet concoction as it grew larger in size. The eerie sight of the bleeding tear falling from grace had splattered onto the wet ground, though what happened to it had remained to be seen as a sudden burst of air had sent the surrounding area of water dry and devoid of the heaven's tears.

Izumi's eyes widen upon changing his focus to the ground, it was indeed dry as the once glistening and reflective surface of the complex's roof had returned to a murky yet solid colour. The storm once again swirled around the two as all sight of the outside world was cut off by the cyclone of revolving water vapor that worked it's way up to the sky. The two could only stand there in silence and awe as the storm had continued to rage violently yet silently, if not for the sharp excess wind that lashed out against the two in their inaction.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Mizu muttered as they slowly unclasped their mask, revealing the same face he had met a few months or so ago. The same pale face that was framed by the disheveled and wild hair that gave him the appearance of someone who had just walked out of a storm... which was somewhat ironic. Then there was the sickly pale skin that adorned a nearly transparent cordial orange glow in the streaked grey background, his icy cold eyes staring at him, but not with mirth and amusement as he had expected from his previous encounters. Instead, they looked distant, empty.

As the boy clicked his finger, Izumi's body befell upon a sudden pain that seemed to extend to everything that ran below his neck. Knowing that at this point, if he were to wait any longer, all hope for his chances of victory would be thrown down the drain. Concentrating on his soul, the image of a whited out flame burst within a void of black. A small flicker of white flame had sparked to life on his forearm before quickly progressing to the rest of his body with Izumi letting out a small grunt and wincing eyes, upon the extreme pain he felt.

Though Mizu was prepared for this as he extended his open palm. Currents of water had parted from the cyclone of rain, quickly darting around at Mizu's will before revolving quickly around the amber eyed hero. With his hand promptly making a fist, the droplets of water dashed towards Izumi and made out small strings of rain, impaling and protruding from several different angles within his body, trapping him in place. The bleached flames had dwindled into nothingness in the blink of an eye. Izumi's eyes widened upon noticing the forced halting of his quirk, not to mention that his body felt paralyzed and unable to move from his marionette position he stood in. He looked up to Mizu, his expression asking for an explanation while he merely shrugged. "Pressure points..." was all he said half-heartedly, to which made Izumi's expression fall slightly upon knowing what this put him in. "Don't bother trying to use your quirk to vaporize the water, you'd only end up hurting yourself..." He paused for a moment, seemingly in thought before he let out a long sigh.

"... Your quirk is really troublesome, y'know? It acts as quite the antithesis to mine, or the opposite, to put it another way. It's quite frustrating to find methods to actually keep you in line with my plans... though I suppose that's one thing that my boss sees in you." Mizu clicked his tongue in mild annoyance, though a small grin took over his lips as he walked up to him. Narrowing his eyes, sparks of electricity coursed throughout his skin, crackling along his body with a string of light. The raven-haired boy made a small tsk sound, wagging his finger at him as if warning him not to proceed with whatever he thought that he could do with a smug expression on his face. "Frankly, I'd prefer to do this without any trouble, it's bothersome enough to lure you out here and to be able to have you here now... but I'd think that you'd sorely regret it if you tried anything funny."

Though as Mizu returned his gaze back to Izumi, he found the boy staring at him strangely. Izumi himself wasn't sure why he felt the need to inspect his face... he wasn't sure what it was... but there was something... oddly familiar about him. Something that ran deeper than just a familiar face from just a few months before. The boy seemed to pick up on his pause, though he only chuckled lightly in response.

"Heh, you still don't know who I am? ... well, that's of no importance as of now... but, there are other matters that are of importance." He said, reaching for one of his pockets, fishing out a small display that lit up upon his touch. A moment later of tinkering with the phone, he turned its display towards Izumi, though strangely, he appeared to struggle in looking at what was on the screen as he visibly squinted his eyes, much to the villain's confusion though he remained silent. The image primarily consisted of a lone... figure, likely sitting in a dark room with a single spotlight on them to be visible to the camera.

Moving in closer, Mizu held out the display right up to Izumi's face, not saying a word is his expression appeared to be impassive and cold, a stark contrast to that of the previous mask that he wore, though Izumi didn't pay it any attention as he was focused on looking at the screen seeing as it was somehow important to him, though he was struggling to see properly. He could barely make out a mop of green hair through his drenched and sweat matted hair covering his eyes, he could feel his body tense upon connecting the dots, though the fuzzy shape of the figure made it hard for him to identify who it was.

Mom... are you there?

Please respond...

Izuku and I are getting worried...

Are you alright? Is something wrong?

What's going on, why aren't you responding...

Please...

"M-mom...?" The blurry image of the figure moved slightly; the jingling chorus of chains and the shallow breaths from her lips could be heard from the other end despite the heavy torrent of rain and wind howling around the two.

"I-izumi...? I-i-is t-that you...?" She weakly called out to him, static intermingling with her voice. The amber-eyed boy could feel his body tremble to the core as his fears were confirmed. He didn't want to believe what he was hearing, but that voice was unmistakable to him. Though despite that, it was also nearly unrecognizable to him. The fear, the dryness in her voice, he could tell that she had been through a lot... and it was all his fault. He could only let out a pent-up exhale of frustration as his head hung low in shame. His body tensed but flared in heat, ignoring the chilling rain that ran down to his bones; he wanted to huddle up in a corner and deny the fact that he would once more be responsible for getting someone he loved hurt.

"You bastard..." He spat under his breath, though it didn't appear to faze the villain much as he simply returned the glare with one of his own.

"Make a decision, hero. We can settle this in a way that both sides win... or your side loses." He said harshly, yet his tone remained calm yet stoic. As he was only met with silence, he sighed in frustration much to Izumi's confusion. Though the raven-haired boy before him seemed to have other plans as they dug their fingers deep into Izumi's tousled and soaked hair, drawing his head up to meet his empty eyes once again. "Be grateful that I'm giving you an opportunity such as this... your mother's alive, I hope you understand that I have every intention to release her if you come with me. Most others would enjoy taking her life... but I'm giving you the choice to save her." He snarled, but Izumi only scoffed in response, not seeming to believe his words, turning his head to the ground.

"Is that so?"

Mizu sighed wearily as he retreated his grip form his hair to curiously stretch his fingers, much to Izumi's confusion, though his look of torment was rewarded with a sharp stinging pain flaring across his cheeks. The third year student could only blink twice in response, seemingly dazed by the reality of what had happened, though even then, when the stinging sensation held within his cheeks persisted, he only returned his shameful gaze downwards in thought.

"What makes you think you're different then?" He asked the villain. Mizu paused for a moment in thought, though his harsh icy gaze returned as he gave him an answer.

"... I know the value of family, it's why I'm doing this in the first place."

Izumi's eyes widen in surprise, though he dared not to meet his gaze. Perhaps it was from shame that such a crossroads of a nightmarish fantasy became reality due to him. He felt that it was his fault for being the catalyst for his mother's harm. If he didn't have the qualities that someone like Mizu was interested in having him for whatever purposes he desired, his mother could possibly be safe at home, not locked away wherever she was currently kept. Then again, he didn't know why someone evil had such an interest in him, whether it be his quirk, or he wanted him to be some sort of pawn, or even if it was a personal vendetta of sorts, but his head felt hazy form the betraying voices that accused him of his mother's harm.

"Make A Choice... You're already too deep in now." Mizu's voice harshly ripped him from whatever thought had occupied his mind as he snapped out of his slight daze. The raven-haired boy's blue gaze softened as he crouched down to his level.

"Don't waste this chance, surrender yourself and I will free her." He whispered softly into his ear. Even if Izumi wanted to struggle, he found himself unable to think of any way out of this... he had already committed a grave error, a grave sin. A sin that would collapse his future as a hero, to be shunned as simply a murderer... besides, despite all of that, the most important thing that remained at the forefront of his mind was her safety; his mother's life was on the line. He could never have it in him to forsake her.

He truly was too deep in, and there was no way out.

Izumi could only give a resigned nod to Mizu's request, his vision started to fade into darkness as his body fell silent and numb. The returning wave of calm overwhelming his senses, lulling him into a deep slumber. Watching his twin collapse onto the ground, upon releasing the strings of water that held him in place, Mizu sighed loudly with his brows furrowed in annoyance. "Finally..."

Standing up, he took a moment to stretch his limbs before turning his attention back towards the cyclone that surrounded the two. Without a moment's thought, he snapped his finger, causing the torrential storm of water to dissolve it's walls and fall harmlessly to the ground. Clouds parted to reveal the calm night sky, unhindered by the gloomy atmosphere that the surface held. A pleasant smile overtook his features as the heavy rainfall caressed his skin, a delightful shudder erupting from his chest as he let out a satisfied sigh.

He stood alone there, in front of Izumi's shaking body. Mizu took a moment to simply stare at with an expression that could barely explain the varying emotions that he felt then. Without moving, he called out to his associate who had been patiently waiting nearby.

"... Kurogiri."

In response to his call, the mist clad man appeared in view. His bartender suit uncrumpled and dry from the passing storm of rain. The man's gleaming yellow eyes flashed a sign of recognition towards the collapsed hero before turning his attention back towards Mizu.

"Yes?..." The man paused before continuing, taking a moment to observe his surroundings. His brow raised when he spotted Stain's body laid against the concrete wall. "Hmm, I take it that the mission was successful?" Mizu hummed in approval, shrugging before placing his hands in his pockets nonchalantly the grin still present on his face. Mizu turned his head towards Izumi once more, taking in the image of the young hero in one last glance before returning his attention back to the bartender, motioning with his head to the portal that Kurogiri stood in front of.

"I want you to bring him back to headquarters... but away from Shigaraki's attention." Kurogiri tilted his head to the side in thought, pondering what he meant but soon made a sound of acknowledgement and nodding in agreeance. "Hm, yes. I believe that is best." Proceeding to carry out the younger boy's orders, he carefully lifted Izumi onto his shoulder. Even if he was a villain, he did have a slight soft spot for youngsters. He wasn't even too interested in combat or violence for that matter as his quirk focused on support rather than being in the front lines, but he had his reasons for joining the side of villainy. Kurogiri turned his head back towards Mizu as he walked in front of the entrance of his quirk produced warp gate. The raven-haired boy was stood over Stain's lifeless body, unmoving. He could tell that he seemed a bit off, though he could well guess that it had something to do with the boy that was on his shoulder at the current moment. He himself didn't have any siblings, but he could only imagine what the boy was going through.

"And what of you?" He called out to him. Mizu remained unmoving but replied back.

"Drop him off first, I have something I want to do before the heroes get back here." He asked, turning his head back towards the man. Kurogiri could see the glint of mischief within his gaze and merely chuckled in acknowledgement. Knowing him for quite a while since his master's introduction to the child he had raised, he knew the boy was special, intelligent... and most of all, evil.

"Understood."

With that, the misty man's image along with Izumi's unconscious body was closed off in the dark abyss. Kurogiri's gleaming yellow eyes taking a short glance towards Mizu before closing the portal entirely. Twirling his raven-haired strands between his fingers, he crossed his arm in thought with an expression that could only be described as lifeless and cold.

Turning around towards the ground, he found the splotched red remnants from his brother's last words before being taken by his hands. Kneeling down to take a closer look to the substance, he reached out to smudge the scarlet liquid onto his cut finger. He brought it close to his face, his expression deep in thought. "I suppose I can work with this..." He murmured softly before standing up once more and moving over to where the remains of the hero killer laid strewn.

"Hmm, you were useful while you lasted Hero Killer... but now, what should I do with you?" Mizu wondered aloud, a manic grin spreading across his features as a certain thought passed through his mind. The soft patter of footsteps in the distance along with faint shouts echoed in the alleyways below him, though he didn't appear too surprised. Rather he kept on a sly grin as he took Stain's body by the head, lifting him up to stare at his lifeless charred body without any sort of sympathy but rather enjoyment. Even more so when he watched the blood slowly drain from his body onto the worn concrete that slowly made its way to flood around his boots.

"Well then, perhaps I should leave a little... message, for our young future heroes. Let's see how good my painting is." He remembered his voice trailing off as the memory faded into black. What happened next was a blur for him as he was overtaken by a strange urge to let loose with his 'message'. Even if it did little to actually satiate the strange feeling of emptiness within his chest, it was at least slightly enjoyable knowing that what he was doing would be the first cornerstone of the hero society's fall. His vision overwhelmed with red as his cold palms glided over the cool concrete surface of the rooftop he stood on.

Even after having his little talk with his long-lost brother, not to mention letting slip his little secret... there was still the strange hole of unfulfillment that was held within his heart, and he didn't know what he was to do about it. After all these years, learning under the tutelage of his master who had brought him back to life, he didn't feel the need to be a part of their family once more. All it took was one single look at them, smiling happily and ignoring everything that had happened... including him.

He was already claimed by the darkness that night, and after what he's done, there was no way they'd want to reclaim him back. Mizu simply ignored the urge to want to have a simple chat with them, even if he were to disguise himself as someone else. He had suppressed that urge long ago, but now he didn't need them. He had already found a home with those that are like him, even if they were considered to be the scum of the earth. A place to vent all his frustrations and throw all of his cares away in the wind, it was a place where he could live carefree of the lives of others, not to mention that it was a place that had its fair share of fun.

Mizu had people that wanted him here, even if it was only for his quirk and skills instead of his own person. Though the fear and sadness that his mother's eyes held had bored holes into his chest, a feeling of shattered ice upon seeing her cry bitterly with apologies that had echoed that empty room. He would have claimed that it didn't affect him in any way at all... but his heart would have disagreed with him.

The raven-haired boy shook his head amidst the darkness, continuing to navigate through the echoing and chilled maze. The images of what remained of his family swarmed within his mind, unable to leave him any sort of peace knowing that he had hurt them of his own free will. It was even him that suggested that they carry out the plan this way in the first place... so why did it still hurt after all these years? He sighed to himself, frankly, the matter was brought up by Kurogiri himself. A small confrontation of gifting advice, he remembered his words of concerned warning upon carrying out this plan in the first place... perhaps he was simply not ready to finally face them once again, perhaps he just needed more time... but it would only get easier, he hoped.

This was for himself.

 _... You miss them, don't you? It's not too late to make a start, y'know?_

The azure-eyed boy snarled at the lingering voice in his head, resisting a groan. "I don't want to hear that from you again." He growled, stopping in his tracks as a gesture for a serious threat. A small grunt bubbled up his throat upon not hearing the voice speak again as he proceeded to continue to walk in silence, not wanting to keep his master waiting too long, but the path there was still indeed very long. It wouldn't do any good if heroes found out about this place and come across their... little project, as they would say. Not to mention that this place served as a rehabilitation chamber of sorts to help his master regain his strength to battle once more. For now, he hid in the shadows, content with just watching.

His footsteps came to a halt once more, though darkness remained its hold over the azure-eyed boy's vision, he could tell that he had arrived at his master's door. It was large in nature, and no doubt intimidating. The aura that slipped through the small slits that surrounded the door's frame exuded a power greater than he could imagine, but the door itself was imposing and exacting.

Like a door to the lair of Satan himself.

Behind the metal, Mizu could hear two distinct voices, though they were quiet yet deep in nature. One held a more excited yet crazed tone while the other, a more stern yet nonchalant one. A sigh escaped Mizu's lips, knowing that the doctor was most likely inside there with the master, either to check up on him or to assist with the 'project' he had been working on. He had his fair share of reasons to dislike the man, not to mention his appearance was already screaming that of a mad scientist with a fire in his eyes that desired for the world's chaos. His attitude too, was extremely vulgar and rude, though whenever he was around the master, he kept good grace. But most of all, he had a personal reason for having an extremely strong desire to simply choke the man on the spot.

Taking in a small breath, he steeled himself before bringing up his arm to lightly knock on the polished metal of the door.

 _knock, knock, knock..._ He retreated his hand from the door as the voices inside silenced.

"It's me, Mizu..." He called out carefully. A small click could be heard from the door as it creaked open to reveal a small gap which provided a faint green light.

"Very well, enter. I have something I'd like to discuss with you."

* * *

 **Apartment complex**

"Thank you for taking me home." Izuku bowed graciously as he stepped out onto the paved concrete walkway in front of the place he called home. Though all of a sudden, it felt a whole lot emptier to him at a closer glance. It only made him frown and look away bitterly at the sight.

In front of the emerald-eyed boy was a polished black SUV that hummed gently as the obsidian eyed man seated at the wheel of the car nodded sadly at the boy. He was already close acquaintances with Izuku due to their mutual friend, not to mention that he knew of his father back in the police department all those years ago. What had happened about an hour ago could potentially be considered one of the most painful moments in Izuku's life. Even the man could see how pained his eyes were as he answered his questions regarding the situation with his own brother.

"Have a good night kid, and for what it's worth... I'm sorry things had to turn out like this." He said to the boy, his golden eyes filled with concern and pity. Izuku could only bow once more and nod numbly in response to his kind words, though the edges of his lips played into a small smile of appreciation in light of the man's compassion.

"Thank you..." Izuku spoke quietly, though his words of gratitude had a great deal of care poured into it. The man nodded in response, taking off his beige coloured hat in respect of the boy as he sincerely smiled.

"Of course."

Tsukauchi let out a sigh as he stayed to watch Izuku walk depressedly towards the front door of the quiet apartment complex. He could only rub his brows, perplexed at the situation that he was put in before running his gloved hand through his short length black hair. "The poor kid didn't deserve any of this... to think that his own brother was responsible for such a crime." He muttered under his breath as he pulled out a thin file from his trusted trench coat. The obsidian eyed man could only stare at the image of the suspected student, Iwaizumi Midoriya. Eldest son of Inko Midoriya and Hisashi Midoriya, as well as the only brother of Izuku Midoriya. There were no reported incidents of such a scale similar to this, in fact, the boy was extremely well behaved in his years of education both before and during his studies at Yuuei.

The only complication was his reported split personality that started to manifest during combat training. A persona that took pleasure in the pain of others and fought madly yet cunningly like a devil. It was something that all of his previous teachers had commented on, though he was surprisingly able to keep it in check before he had seriously hurt somebody... that was, until now. Though there were also incidents of which he had been badly hospitalized due to an overuse of either one of his quirks. Back then, Tsukauchi had also been witness to the investigations around his earlier incidents, though the kid would always have said that there was a recurring villain who was always present. Saying things like "it was him... the man with the black mask." Of course, there was evidence of his own injuries regarding those incidents, but any confirmed suspicions of a culprit were denied by him.

Clipped to the edge of a file was the small image portrait of Izumi used for his provisional hero license. Though that wasn't particularly the focus of Tsukauchi's attention as he stared at the overwhelming paint of scorched black that sat behind it. Reaching out to grab it revealed the drone captured image of the crime scene in its entirety, along with a few additional shots of Stain's charred body. From what they could confirm, the most likely candidate was indeed Izumi due to the degree of burns that could only be candidate through electrocution, at least that was what it appeared to be like. Though there were still a need to fully make an autopsy report from that of their original findings. There was also the matter that said suspect was missing entirely and there were reportedly no witnesses to what had truly transpired.

One could claim that Izumi was simply the perpetrator, though this would lead into a variety of theories, none which could be confirmed due to his current absence.

However, what remained of the battlefield revealed a large, heavy and concentrated scatter of blood strewn across the floor through luminol testing or were visible on it's own. There was simply too much blood for him to remain conscious in the first place, even for him to still be alive! Though there was to factor that a small rainstorm had fallen upon Hosu city, yet mysteriously stopped for a brief interval of time before raining down chaos once again. But the fact that he had gone missing would continue to bite them in the rear.

Was he captured... or even dead? Who knows, they had little evidence to prove this theory, but it was certainly not one that they could simply overlook due to coincidence of circumstance.

Had this been the work of someone else, what were they to make of this? Of course, the most likely thought of those who would take the time to think was that this was meant to be a jab at the society of heroes. Either insinuating that one of their own would turn, giving heroes a bad name. Or, something evil was on the rise.

To make things worse, they didn't know which it was to be.

It was strange, definitely, but Tsukauchi knew that what lay underneath the visible evidence left that night appealed to the thought of doubt towards the society of heroes. Despite the fact that this information was only seen by the heroes involved only about half an hour Stain was considered dead, along with a few newscasters patrolling the city in a helicopter who had been silenced on the matter, somehow the incident was able to get out to the public against the government's admission. It was bad enough that this image along with the image of Stain's corpse as not only spread across the internet by some unknown source, but there had been discord on who or what would prove to be truly responsible for the death of one of the most growing controversial characters in modern society.

Whatever this all meant, Tsukauchi knew that the near future wasn't looking too good for Japan, or potentially the whole world.

* * *

Izuku walked through the cordially glowing halls of the seemingly endless corridors with little focus on his own surroundings. He wasn't even able to pay attention to the usually sleepy receptionist who had given him a concerned glance despite their half-lidded eyes. His mind was elsewhere than his own attention of walking the right way back to his apartment shared with his family.

There were a few other inhabitants of the other rooms that he had passed by. Most had decided to steer clear of him due to the depressed aura he had given off, not to mention that the way he walked with unfocused glazed eyes had exuded the idea that something was definitely wrong. Only a handful of kindhearted people actually had the courage to ask him what was wrong, though he'd only blink with his eyes widened. As if he had returned back to reality, he would look at his surroundings for a moment before even recognizing that there was someone in front of him. With an apologetic smile, he would simply say that nothing was wrong... yet in reality, he felt broken inside.

He had even nearly missed his own destination as he had passed by the door crested with his family name. Though his footsteps came to a halt upon passing by it. He wasn't quite sure what had snapped him out of his daze, though looking back at the door, he couldn't help but feel sick in the stomach upon remembering how Tsukauchi and All Might had failed to contact his mother before the questioning of Stain's incident. The polished wooden door loomed above him with a strange yet intimidating aura. Izuku couldn't help but turn his head away from the sight, knowing that he would be sleeping alone in the apartment tonight... and for who knows how long.

With a sigh, Izuku fished out a key from his pockets. He could only stare at it for a moment, it was simple in nature, yet it was a sign of his own independence. He was given the key ever since his brother had started attending Yuuei. But before, when he would attend the same school as Izuku, he would always walk him home and open the door for him since he was the older of the two, of which he didn't mind. Though ever since the two would have different destinations to go in the morning, he would always find a place to go to and wait for his brother to meet him there. There was also the few occasions where Katsuki would pick on him, and if he was lucky, Izumi would be able to come along in time to stop him. Since then, Izumi made it his mission to try and get to Izuku as quick as he could to bring him home, of which when he finally got his provisional license, it was much easier to get to where he was quicker. Though there were always the occasion where he would run late, and Izuku would be met with tired eyes as was most likely a result of Recovery Girl's quirk, or perhaps it was another matter entirely... but Izuku didn't want to prod into his brother's life.

But now, he had finally gained the courage and support of his newfound strength to stand up and take the key with him. He would be able to walk with Izumi again, and even meet up with the big three at times. Though he would mostly find himself in the midst of his two greatest friends, Iida and Uraraka. Even Todoroki joined in few times, despite the fact that he lived in a different area than us, though we welcomed his silent company with open arms.

Holding the key tightly and pressing its flat edge against his forehead as his face scrunched in sadness.

 _Where did it all go wrong?_ Izuku thought to himself as he took in a deep breath to calm himself.

He didn't believe that his brother was capable of doing such a thing. Yes, he did have a few moments where he wasn't himself but he had restrained himself in that regard extremely well... He was so kind to him, and his mother. He stood up for him through it all, he did everything for them.

So no, he couldn't willingly believe that Izumi was responsible for such a heavy crime, a sin that weighed as much as murder... but the evidence was everything, and it set the truth to crash down to reality.

He wanted to believe in him, he wanted to see his face again... but he wasn't here for him anymore. He had gone down a road where he couldn't follow, a road he most certainly didn't want him to follow... Izuku couldn't believe his eyes once he had laid eyes upon the crime scene. He must have balled his eyes out in fear upon seeing Stain's charred corpse and the bloody writing that surrounded him.

He wanted to believe... yet it was so hard to not look at what was in front of his eyes because, he knew that it terrified him.

Even if the alternative was for him to be captured... or worse, dead... no, he didn't want to think about that.

But all those years of suffering wasn't for nothing... he wanted to deny it all.

He wanted his brother to come back, and he'd go to the ends of the earth to try and find him... but he didn't know the first place to start looking.

Izuku sighed in frustration as he rubbed his face in a vain attempt to wake him up from his thoughts, his hands roaming across the familiar terrain of his face and thick tangled hair. His eyes dropping to the floor sadly as he felt his energy continue to diminish the longer he thought about it.

He was tired, he needed sleep.

Perhaps this was all a nightmare... perhaps he would be able to wake up the next morning to meet the cheerful gazes of both Izumi and his mother both in the kitchen as they prepared breakfast... how they'd both tell him that they loved him and wished a good day for him...

But it turns out that truth is often stranger than fiction, huh?

Begrudgingly, he slid in the brass key to its knob, which was a perfect match. Twisting the key around for a moment, the door opened with a soft click. He dreaded returning back here because he knew that he was alone. All Might himself had said that he had earlier come to visit the apartment to find it empty, and while it could have been due to Inko leaving for a small outing somewhere or was perhaps at her job... but the police had heard reports from nearby neighbours claiming that they had heard something from this room.

Without any further thought of self-pity or dark thoughts to continue its reign of terror over him, he pushed it open.

Inside revealed... light?

That was most certainly strange, he couldn't even comprehend what that meant. Perhaps his mother had left the lights on before her sudden disappearance?

Or maybe...

There was no way...

"Mom?" He called out weakly as he quickly slid his shoes away before the step into their home. His hurried and quick footsteps on the wooden flooring became louder as he moved to the lounge...

"Oh, Izuku! You're back!" A familiar voice rang out, shaking him to his core.

Stepping past the wooden frame of the entrance to their home, Izuku froze upon finding his mother simply sitting on the couch in front of the television. Her soft emerald eyes widened in pleasant surprise at his sudden arrival, though her expression quickly melted into one of joy as she offered him a closed-eyed smile. "Welcome back, honey." She said sweetly, placing down the picture frame she had held onto before Izuku's arrival onto the coffee table with gentle yet laboured movement.

Izuku could feel his body tremble at the sight of his mother before him, his eyes grew misty and wet as he stood there in shock. He couldn't believe his eyes, all questions that would have stormed through his mind at her sudden appearance had been thrown into the wind as he ran over to her without a care in the world and engulfing the short woman with a massive and warm embrace as he cried out, "Mom!"

Inko let out a soft yelp in surprise at the sudden speed her son had ran towards her at, not to mention how tightly he was hugging her, though she couldn't complain after seeing the broken down expression Izuku had held as he softly sobbed into her shoulder. She didn't particularly understand what was going on with her son, but she would gladly bear any burden that weighed on his shoulders. She resolved to ease his worries as she warmly returned the embrace and held him tight to calm him down as the two sat there in each other's arms.

After muttered praises and thanks to whatever gods watched over them, Izuku pulled himself away from his mother's shoulder. Inko smiled at her son, though her expression of worry still creased her face. Izuku, despite his face still looking quite messy and red, shook his head as he chuckled to himself as his rather clingy welcome, not that Inko minded of course. She reached out to brush a few stray tears from her son's freckled face as Izuku smiled all the more brighter. He held her shoulders as he leaned in closer with his eyes shining with worry.

"M-Momwhatareyoudoinghere?Whendidyougethere?Wheredidyougo?Whyhaven'tyoubeenrespondingtomytexts?Oh,butI'msogladyou'rehere!" He rambled quickly, of such that the poor woman could only understand a portion of what he was actually saying. She could only tilt her head to the side in confusion, yet she kept a concerned smile on her face as Izuku stopped for a moment to take a small breather. Inko lifted up her hand to caress his cheek as she looked at him affectionately with motherly love. "Take all the time you need, dearie. I'm here for you..." She supplied, which only made the boy start to tear up again as he pulled her in for another heartfelt embrace, one she was much more prepared for.

"I missed you..." He whispered quietly into the crook of her neck.

"... Izuku? What are you talking about?"

The emerald eyed boy's eyes widened as the simple question had registered in his brain. He quickly parted from Inko, who looked at him with a confused yet scared expression. He stared at her for a moment dumbfounded, though as quesitons started to pile in his head, one thing had stuck out to him... she didn't seem to know that she had apparently went missing?

"O-oh... well, you haven't been answering any of my texts since I left for the fieldwork trip." He admitted tiredly, fiddling with his fingers as he kept his concerned gaze on her. In response, Inko could only place a hand to cradle the side of her head as her expression seemed forgetful, yet somehow pained. Her brows were furrowed in thought, yet Izuku could see the confusion behind her eyes.

"I-I..." She went quiet for a moment, seemingly thinking something over in her head. Her eyes drifting off elsewhere, but she soon prompty shook her head and turned back to him. "I... I can't seem to remember... everything in the last week seems to be somewhat hazy..." She admitted, her body trembling slightly. Izuku's eyes widened in immediate concern and panic as he hurriedly placed his hands on her shoulders.

"M-mom! A-are you alright? Do you need to go to the hospital?" He hurriedly asked before stopping his barrage of questions upon seeing the look of slight fear in her eyes. Izuku gasped and slowly let go of Inko, apologizing for scaring her. She nodded in silence as the two had settled on sitting down on the sofa for a little talk.

"N-no... I'm fine... my head just... hurts a little, that's all." She said quietly, massaging her temples in thought. Izuku slowly nodded, though the look of concern in his eyes had not left as he placed a gentle and reassuring hand on his mother's soft hand. Inko smiled at the gesture as she leaned over to him to kiss his temple, causing him to chuckle in response.

"Thank you, Izuku..." She smiled softly, which resulted in the forest haired boy to nod in return.

"It's fine mom, I just... I wanted to make sure you were okay. You had me and nii-san worried." He admitted sheepishly with a small laugh, though Inko could only stare at him curiously.

"Nii... san?" She murmured quietly while Izuku nodded, his body huddling closer to the edge as his posture slowly became more compact.

"A lot has happened... we couldn't even reach out to you since you had apparently been classed as missing," Izuku informed her quietly, a soft gasp was all he could hear from Inko as hugged his legs close to his chest and nod. "I was so scared... there was an attack at Hosu City. The screams that echoed the air, the black smoke and flames that prowled the streets... and then..."

Izuku paused, he bit his lip to prevent himself from speaking further. Inko could only raise a concerned brow at his sudden pause, though Izuku didn't want to frighten her with his experience with the hero killer... He didn't want to burden her with any of his troubles that night. Besides, his mother looked exhausted, not to mention confused about the whole ordeal. She needed some sleep, much like he did. The forest haired boy simply shook his head to clear any further thought on the matter as he turned his gaze to meet her's with a soft smile. "Never mind, it doesn't matter now... we should get to sleep soon." He commented upon looking at a nearby clock.

It was indeed quite late, the moon had already come out to hang in its full view over Tokyo, the town quiet and peaceful for tonight. Inko nodded in agreeance, suppressing a yawn as Izuku smiled gently. He turned his head to the picture frame that sat on the coffee table. Inside the frame was a picture of Izuku, Inko and Izumi standing in a park. It was the most recent photo the three had taken since Izuku's start in Yuuei, as the three had celebrated his entrance in the prestigious school with a small excursion to the park with cones of ice cream in hand and bright smiles on all their faces. A bittersweet smile overtook Izuku's features as he stared at his brother's face. The amber eyed boy had stood behind the two since he was the tallest of the family of three, a happy and kind expression on his face as the three had looked towards the cameraman for the moment to be captured. His hands had naturally drifted towards it as his scarred fingers had brushed over the comforting smooth frame.

"Izuku... can I ask who it is that was standing behind us?" Inko commented as she leaned over to look at the image with him, standing up from her seat to do so. Izuku turned to face her mother, his expression incredulous as he stared at her in surprise.

"M-mom... what are you saying? It's nii-san, d-don't you remember?" He asked, though he could feel an ominous sense of dread washing over him at the shake of Inko's head.

"You've mentioned this 'nii-san' quite a few times... is he a friend of yours? I have to say, he looks quite a bit like you doesn't he?" She mused, placing a finger onto her chin in thought.

"N-no!" Izuku yelled, standing up, startling the woman as she yelped in surprise and fell backwards onto her seat. The emerald eyed boy's eyes widen as he stared at himself for what he had done before quietly and promptly returning to his seat. "No, no... nii-san... Izumi, he's more than just a friend. He's the one who's always there to help me through thick and thin... he's my-"

"Who's Izumi?"

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Yay, I actually got this chapter done before two months! And only a bit over a week since my last entry to this story.**

 **Quite the twist, amirite?**

 **Anyways, apologies for the cliffhanger... again. (especially to Justceecee, I just can't stop.)**

 **Anyways, I plan to have a bit more backstory to Mizu's upbringing and 4th birthday (the day he gets his quirk) in the next chapter. And if you guys still find his quirk to be a bit confusing, I'll be sure to explain everything then. (Even then, it was rather vague when I did the flashback scene, and to be fair, it is pretty technical in its applications...** **even the water morphing part of his quirk is just a technical application of his quirk.** **So I wouldn't blame any of you who don't know what it is... in fact, I'm not sure if any guess people can make would be considered correct, though you can take a shot if you want...)**

 **Also, some good news I have to share: I think I have finally decided on a route that this story will take. As many of you have said, it probably isn't the best idea to use Izuku's story as a crutch for Izumi's, so I have come up with a plot for Izumi himself to solve and it will delve into some things unexplored with All for one and such but will definitely have an ending. Of course, Izuku will still play his story as well during segments that I won't have to cover due to Izumi being less involved in activities due to his capture and other circumstances. Though he'll play a prominent role in the season 3 segment of BNHA/MHA (everything not including the provisional license arc) and will be less so in season 4 onwards. (such as the overhaul arc and activities that primarily focus on in school stuff)**

 **Anyways, that's the end of that rant.**

 **As a side note, there'll be a big event coming up soon (not the mid term exams, in fact, it's not even mentioned in the story.) and I think it will provide some prime opportunities to update some relationships and connections between our heroes... and more development in the villain side, especially with their evil plans *cracks knuckles in preparation to write more angst with these precious children and proceed to evilly laugh but cry at the same time***

 ***Mwaahaahaahaahaa*...**

 **...*cough* anyways...**

 **Before I continue to make the next chapter, I hope to be able to finish the chapter of my other fiction in the works (angels and demons for those who are following it as well, rejoice). It's about halfway done, so I hope it doesn't take too long before I can make a start on the next piece of this story!**

 **I better be getting to sleep now, I spend too much time writing this at night... but it's worth it, I think.**

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **Ignis**


	22. A bittersweet reunion

**Author's Notes:**

 **Sorry for the three week delay, though that's partly due to me being occupied with my other story. I'm probably thinking of making the next chapter for this after publishing this, so hopefully it won't take as long as three weeks.**

 **Fair warning, there is a slightly disturbing scene here. Involves a vivid description of blood, so be warned.**

 **Also, I plan on having a rewrite of chapter 9 coming out soon after this, though that's about maybe halfway done. Though since it already has a basic premise for it's story, it shouldn't take too long to finish it before continuing on with the story. (When it does come out, I really do recommend reading it as it has a few changed details since I had last wrote it.)**

 **I hit a dead end on explaining Mizu's quirk due to some... circumstances, but I've made sure that at least some questions, at least concerning his origins are explained, not to mention that there are some hints towards what his quirk is. I can't say that I will make any promises as to when a full report of information of Mizu's quirk will be revealed due to me not exactly knowing what I should have next after the next chapter (which I already have planned out) but it will definitely be in an interaction between Izumi and Mizu as it would be a much better and sensical approach to the topic than this chapter.**

 **Anyways, here's some angsty family time with our favourite resident local and lovable mom talking with her long lost and apparently evil son! Boy, it's going to be a roller coaster of feels here.**

 **Enjoy.**

* * *

"Y'know mom..."

Inko looked up from the empty cup sat in her lap to stare into Mizu's deep blue gaze. The sapphire eyed boy was sat comfortably in front of her on a small wooden stool, much different from the creaky old one Inko herself was sat in. His posture was relaxed and comfortable, yet his poise held a glimmer of pride and formality as his hands were clasped on top of his lap. Despite the blank gaze he had sent her, his aura was much more gentler than she would have expected of a villain, especially one that took the effort to capture her in the first place. To think that for a situation like this, she would be treated in a manner of respect... or was it perhaps courtesy?

But of course, it made sense... he was her son after all.

Currently, she was unrestrained with rope and shackles laid strewn across the floor and away from her. Her blindfold was removed and discarded in favor of a more comfortable conversation between the two as they simply sat on two wooden seats, facing each other with silence and awkwardness hanging in between them. Perhaps the situation was dire for her, considering that she had no means of escaping wherever this was, but the raven haired boy had at least kept her company for her stay. Though he had never explicitly stated as to why he would stick around and keep her someone to talk to, or at least keep her company, there was something in the way he spoke to her... it gave her hope that maybe... just maybe he wanted to be here with her.

For whatever reason he may have to bring her to such a place as this, which was outside of her own knowledge; It only made Inko wonder why Mizu had made no attempts at her life, or even try to berate her for what happened since his turn. To think that he was still alive had amazed her... yet it scared her at the same time. Many would think that after being abandoned they would try to get back at those who abandoned them... but Mizu made no move to indicate such vehement and ill intention whatsoever... rather, most of the time he had spent with her since their reunion, his gaze would always seem to distant... so empty.

It was strange to think that a hostage situation such as this one would be handled so... calmly, with most conversations handled peacefully. Though perhaps it made sense; there wasn't much that she could offer except as bait for heroes. She didn't have any information that they didn't already know. If there was a reason for her stay other than a simple plucking from the tree, it was more than likely that there would be a possibility of torture, or perhaps... something worse. But here she was, confronting with a mind breaking yet painful reality. A reality that she was only made aware of since the night of her capture. There wasn't any means of escape for her anyways as she felt rather tired to try and escape on her own... He already had given her a fair warning of the implications of her attempts of escape, but it was both expected yet unexpected that she hadn't made any attempt of fleeing the complex, not even once.

The room she sat in was a simple one, there was little to say about it. There was little to no furnishing except for the two chairs the two sat on, along with the only lighting provided in the empty space provided by a single bulb that produced a cordial and warm glow. The walls a strangely comforting sandy beige in color, the paint itself was still prime, yet there was a few corners where it darkened and peeled, likely from the effects of time.

Despite being a room to keep her trapped within, it was certainly a lot more comfortable and clean than Inko would have imagined after watching a few films with Hisashi years back. It was nothing like those cold and dark rooms surrounded by a cold and merciless steel. The room illuminated only by a flickering and emotionless light, saturating the room with a cold glow that spoke volumes of emotions such as hopelessness or bitter loneliness.

Inko had lost track of time during her stay here, seeing as she had no method of being able to tell the time anyways apart from when her son would check his wrist to check the time. Strangely enough, he would tell her if he found any sort of interest or yearning within her gaze. It was strange enough for Mizu's reactions to become so bland and neutral, rather it was far less than what Inko expected... but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Ever since her awakening, she had found herself restrained and tied to the chair she now sat on. A ragged blindfold tied to her head, though she could see the faint traces of light that peered through the little gaps in the fabric. Mizu's voice had startled her when only silence ensued after her waking, though after a moment of silence between them, Mizu took the blindfold off of her head, finally meeting her emerald gaze that held a wild storm of emotions...

Though the most prominent one he could find was sadness.

At first, the two didn't have the courage to even whisper a word to each other, as they could only stare in each other's eyes; the thoughts that brewed within their mind kept secret. Time had passed and Inko slowly grew more uncomfortable by his silence. She wanted to speak to him, to apologize for something that they both knew was out of her control, but her voice failed her. She was tired, yet she was kept in good health. Mizu on the other hand had retained his blank gaze. There was little that Inko could even discern from him given his monotonous state, though in truth, he still needed time to process what was in front of him.

It was even more strange when Mizu had left a single and plain bronze key. Most likely the solution to the shackles that were bound to her upon her awakening; right there in her grasp as he left the room for the night. It was so close, it was there for her to take. There was nothing to indicate that there would be any negative consequences of the sort, nor did Mizu show any sighs of devious cruelty... though it could all have been a facade. For all she knew, it could have been a cruel trap to instill the reality of a meaningless struggle... but even with the possibility of releasing the restraints that bound her, she would never have taken it.

It wasn't a sort of pitiful attempt at escaping any consequences to taking that single risk... but rather, it was a choice that she believed firmly was the one that would help Mizu. Be it as it may that he was the reason that she was even in this particularly unpleasant situation in the first place... she wanted to help him, whatever way she could.

The morning after, Mizu had entered the room to find his mother asleep on the wooden chair. Her bangs were messy and matted with sweat, her cheeks stained with red from crying. The bronze key was clutched tightly in her palm. Yet despite how uncomfortable the seat she sat on itself was, even more so evident by the look of discomfort present on Inko's face as she struggled to find peace in the darkness, she would at least find some refuge... knowing that her lost child was safe. The aura that she exuded told of a merciless struggle, yet her will of kindness and compassion were as clear as day from how she held the key close to her heart. Mizu could only stand there and stare at the painful image in front of him. He felt compelled to do something, yet he couldn't move his body, as if time itself had frozen.

Mizu couldn't believe it himself as a plague of thoughts had stormed through his mind, all those thoughts had come to become dead ends. He wasn't even sure what he was trying to accomplish in the first place, though as he continued to stand there, something sparked within him. After a moment's worth of hesitation and thought, all he could do was take the key himself from his mother's tight grip and unlock the chains that cruelly bound his own mother to reality. He had leaned down to her level and gingerly reached out to grab it, though there were many instances of hesitation. Despite the years of building the walls of his cold and broken heart, he was more than aware of Inko's kind nature as well as the lot of what she had gone through her life. The loss of her husband, troubling times of raising two children alone... and the loss of a child she had loved.

With a quiet resolve, Mizu had unfurled Inko's finger's, releasing her grasp on the key which gently fell to his calloused fingers. Though he stopped himself there as his eyes drifted towards her hand. Her fingers were wrapped around his hand, seemingly taking place of the key. He could only sigh but remain silent as he found comfort in the warmth of her hand over his own. A warmth that was ripped from his life from a young age... a warmth that he could never have found here.

Even with the desire to stay within the warm company that washed over his body, he knew... he knew that there was no turning back. There was no going back to the old times where he was loved and cared for. A time where he wasn't involved in the fight, not to mention on the opposite side of his own family...

But fate was a cruel thing, there was nothing he could do about it's choices... he had learned long ago that the path paved for him wasn't one for himself.

So here the two were, face to face. Mizu had decided it best to at least grant her the illusion of the son she wished to see so long ago, though that boy was gone already... Over the course of the days passing by, many times Mizu would come with food for Inko to eat and a glass of water to drink. He was the one who had taken into liberty of her capture as it was his plan in Izumi's capture that was to happen in a few days, so he would be the one who would decide how she was treated. Despite their torn bond and shattered connection, he would never let any of the other members come even close to her... not even his master, and for good reason.

Who would have known... that a villain like him would still have a soft side for the family that had forsaken him.

Mizu didn't, nor did Inko.

So all Inko could do was simply sit there in silence, averting her gaze from his in shame. This was how it usually went, these little sessions of company for the two. Time spent with silence yet the two took the smallest warmth of comfort in their reunion... no matter how dark the circumstances or the illusion of a lie that stood in between them.

It was painful looking at him. His disheveled and ragged appearance and the dull lifeless eyes that were hid halfway underneath his long messy bangs. His pale complexion was much too pale for her liking, not to mention that the blue of his veins were quite visible from underneath his black cloak that shrouded his body despite his frame seeming lenient. There was also the way he walked; calm, yet burdened. They were quick yet heavy with thought and hesitation. The night she was met with her long lost son, she cried. The lifelessness and strain in his voice, uttering the single word that spoke of their maternal connection. She didn't cry because of fear for her life, but rather knowing that she was a failure as his parent.

But that wasn't her fault was it?

Perhaps, but Inko wasn't the type to blame anyone other than herself.

Mizu sighed as he sat up slightly straighter from his seat in front of her. Folding his legs across each other before leaning his chin on his palm as he stared directly at her eyes calmly, retaining the silence from before but his own gaze wasn't expecting anything from her. Though as much as Inko wanted to look away, she didn't want to give Mizu, her son, anything less than he deserved... He had spent all those years alone without a family, his family; but it's more than likely that he doesn't see them as such anymore. He was raised by the hands of shadows, grown into something unrecognizable to them... Yet he was still her son, so she mustered the courage to actually meet his gaze. Mizu smiled gently upon seeing this; it wasn't a bitter one, or even a forced one... it was in fact, rather genuine. The raven haired teenager chuckled to himself in pleasant surprise before his tone dropped, curling his smile into one that was more apologetic and expressing his sorrow.

"If it still means anything to you... I'm sorry that it had to be this way." He said softly, which promptly caused the woman to stare at him wide eyed before shaking her head in sad regret.

"No! no... It's my fault that you're like this... I'm the one who should be apologizing to you. You've been alone for so long... and now that I'm finally here, I want to say that I'm sorry for failing you, I couldn't protect you..." She admitted, her eyes growing misty as her emerald green eyes were painful to watch for Mizu. He couldn't respond to that, how could he? Perhaps he could have blamed them for his descent into darkness, but it was all he knew by the point of which he had reached of no return. He had plenty of time to think over what happened that night over the course of his career, or rather, hobby as a villain. A night of pure and chaotic pain that made his world split and his body berserk.

He came to understand that... perhaps it wasn't their fault he was like this. Perhaps it wasn't fair to blame them for the supernatural that turned his life around. They did everything they could to try and save him, they mourned over his death when the monitors ran dead... but it wasn't as if he particularly minded being evil, in fact, over the years he had found the occupation of being a villain... quite enjoyable. Seeing the terror on people's faces as he would be the one to claim their lives, or release his anger in the most sadistic ways whenever his stress got pent up. However those times had him grow into someone more mature over the course of taking the time to decide on what his standard of morals were, even if those said morals were much more twisted than that of a normal person.

Of course, when he was anywhere before the age of four, he would have believed such notions to be inconceivable to his naive young mind... but things change.

All because of the saving hand that appeared in his darkest hours... was that of the devil himself.

Humming to himself, he looked back up at her to stare deep within her emerald eyes that watched him with concern. Those eyes expressing the sincerity in her apology, though it was clear that she felt frustrated about herself for his own lot in life. Even if the gesture as small... it felt strange to feel a withering light of happiness make it's presence known within his soul that she still cared. Perhaps Izumi may not care for him anymore, it was understandable after everything he did to him and his brother... but this was something that he would think about for a good while.

"... Do you remember that night? The night I 'died'?" He asked her after a long pause of thought. Inko flinched in response, her emerald green eyes widened in surprise as well as fear; the ghosts of the haunting prospect had clouded over her once bright eyes. She had found it noticeable difficult to breathe as her breathing became more quick and labored, though she held in those hurried and panicked breaths as she was forced to swallow the lump in her throat upon dredging up the memories that started the downhill tumble of her life. Seeing the distant and fearful expression appear on her face, Mizu decided that was enough of an answer as he continued to stare off into space in reminiscent of the flashes of images that appeared before him. Images that shifted from one to another in a frenzy of chaos and confusion. Images that even now, shook him to his core as nights would come where he would be haunted by that memory which wished for the end of someone such as himself to meet his fate... Of course, how would a four year old be able to understand the cold grips of death that wished to consume him.

"To think that the very thing both my brother and I had been looking forward to would end up being the catalyst that changed my fate... or perhaps destiny had already planned this from the very beginning." Mizu mused to himself with an expression of thought before morphing into one of docile futility as he chuckled darkly. His gaze shifted downwards as he was staring at his own hand that closed tightly upon itself as his lips continued to speak without pause. "An innocent child fated to die... all because he had possessed something that was out of his control, and out of reach for those that desperately wished to save him." The raven haired boy trailed off as his gaze wandered off to the outskirts of the simply lit room.

"Mizu..." Inko whispered, her gaze filled with motherly concern but Mizu could only look to the side, averting his gaze with a bitter smile as the memories returned to claim vengeance over his peace of mind once again. Not wanting to even risk a glance towards her. He didn't need her pity for him, he wanted to be saved from that night.

"It was painful, you know... The screeching agony I felt, as if my body was ripping itself apart." He spoke in a hushed and strained tone. Despite all the years that had passed since that one moment, he could still remember the wicked flames that burned within his body, consuming him as he struggled endlessly against the invisible to the naked eye. The loneliness he felt as he was swallowed by an endless abyss, a void of black and nothingness. The cries of his family drowned out with silence, any hope of light banished. Just remembering the feeling of dread crawling up his back had sent shivers to his spine. Inko couldn't say anything in response to Mizu's description, though all she could offer was a pained look of regret and sadness. Her lip was bit in frustration; She didn't know what happened then that night, she couldn't know, none of them did.

* * *

It was in the depths of night, a time of which the stars had hung brightly over the skies of the bright yet calm city of Tokyo. All three children of the Midoriya family had been sent to bed after the long day they had, especially since this particular date had set for a special occasion.

The two adults of the household had stayed up after their children's slumber as they settled on spending the rest of their night watch television together in the comfort of their home. The two were tired after the long day the entire family had, but it was all for the sake of their two firstborn children. Of course, that night had occurred on the day of the twins' birthday. The five of them had set out to celebrate the occasion with dinner plans, accompanied by the entire family as well as some extended relatives. The noise that had erupted within the apartment was escalated by the excessive yelling of children that ran around with each other with used plates of food and gift wrappings scattered around them.

As expected of a children's party, it was fairly chaotic, but it was something that the two children had come to enjoy. Friends to join them in their celebration along with cousins and distant relatives joining in on the fun as well. It was a time of laughter and joy, well spent by simply enjoying the occasion of their birth into the world. A time where the worries of the world faded away for just a single day.

Though as the day passed and the sun started to set on, trekking to the different parts of the earth, they bid their goodbyes and set off to leave, one by one.

It was quiet when the apartment only contained the five of them.

Gift wrappings and disposable utensils and plates had been discarded and set away neatly in disposable bins. Toys were scattered about, and leftover food packed in the fridge. Though the two stars of the party had made efforts to clean up after their mess, knowing how much effort their parents had put into this special occasion. Though it was an effort they all shared, it was something that they all didn't mind as they could simply enjoy the time spent together. Even Izuku had just sat idly by, though a large smile was ever present on his face as the four brought him in for a family hug. Despite the wear on the faces of the two adults of the family, they firmly believed that their efforts were worth it upon seeing the smiles they shared upon being sent to their beds, along with the whispers of thanks and the warm heartfelt hugs given to them in return of their love.

The two talked quietly on the couch, careful not to disturb the children or any other residents of nearby apartments that would have spent the night in the comforts of their bed. It was a time of peace and relaxation, and while they did love their children dearly, even they needed a break every once in a while alone. While they would make small talk about some events and happenstance that had come to happen during their schedules of work as well as daily life, or the two would simply sit in silence and enjoy each other's company, the last topic that the two reached was the topic of quirks.

Especially concerning the quirks of their children.

It was normal and fairly innocent topic to discuss the possibilities that an offspring could produce, especially since the evolution of quirks had grown more and more widespread over the years of the supernatural's appearance. Inko was the fourth generation within her family to possess a quirk, while Hisashi was in the third generation. It wasn't abnormal for these circumstances to happen, especially since the growth and spread of quirks would still take a considerable amount of time to become that which can only be described as the norm. After all, at the current stages of quirk development, the world had sat in a eighty to twenty percent ratio of people that had possessed quirks and those who didn't. The numbers had slowly grown over the years to overtake that which used to be considered the majority, but was now a minority in our society.

The two children had already arrived at the age of which their quirks would begin to develop. The tender age of four, a day that most children nowadays would always look forward to, knowing that the day they would develop their own unique ability would give them a chance to become a hero that they would always aspire to be. The day and age where hero and villains were on the rise of popularity, especially with the increase of diversity within quirks.

While there were a variety of quirks that extended to manipulation of natural forces, increase in physical or psychic abilities, or perhaps even metamorphosis; the hero who had taken to the top of the whole of Japan, and perhaps even the world with the title of the world's symbol of peace, All Might, had one simple, yet incredibly powerful quirk. In the process of evolution, quirk wise; the range of possible combinations of quirks that spread from two individuals' had room to be extensively creative. Bordering around either a fusion of the two parent's quirks, or the child's genetics had followed one family's branch of quirks. Though there was also other means of evolution, such as mutations... though there was also quirklessness.

Neither Inko or Hisashi would particularly care if their children did or did not have quirks, whether they were considered to be useful or useless, they would have loved them all the same. They had that right as their children after all, and nothing would change that. Though that was to say that all three of the children were already engrossed in the topic of obtaining supernatural powers, especially considering that there was quite a spectral range of possibilities in terms of traits that they could inherit from their parents.

Izuku already was practically obsessed with the said number one hero, All Might. The man who had quickly climbed the rankings with the claim of becoming the pillar that supports cities, a symbol that took on every problem with a reassuring and large smile that put the public's worries at ease. He would have his mother play the same clip of

As a detective, Hisashi had the pleasure of being able to work with the man once or twice during some cases and investigations, not to mention that the talks they had were always pleasant. Though the opportunities where he would be able to meet such a man were limited, he could always tell how sincere he was in his message to spread peace. He exuded that aura, an aura that Hisashi himself could tell that spoke volumes of his desire to save those in need. He truly wasn't joking when he said that he would become the pillar that the world needed, he was the ideal image of what we call a hero.

While Izumi and Mizu weren't as stuck or obsessed to the idea of becoming a hero as Izuku was, that didn't mean that the topic didn't fascinate them. Inko and Hisashi were certain that if they didn't put them to sleep, they would probably be talking the night away, discussing what kind of powers they would get, or what they would do with said powers. It was an innocent but fascinating topic to discuss, especially since everyone around them would have their own unique imprint to last on the world, especially with the rise of the ongoing war between heroes and villains.

The two twins were always close to each other. Though despite their identities as twins, they had some different key characteristics. While they both inherited their parent's sense of kindness and compassion, the two had different ways of interacting with people. Izumi was a curious child, though he would always approach a situation with rationality as well as using means to end conflicts peacefully.

It always put a smile to Inko and Hisashi's faces, when Izumi would be willing to stand in front of Mizu when he was afraid of something. Whether it be people or animals that frightened him, Izumi would always put on a mask of calm and stand tall in front of his twin like a shield that would protect him from all harm. For an extremely young boy, it was quite curious that he would have already developed such a sense of protection of his other siblings, though perhaps that was just a front for his own weakness. Nevertheless, it was still inspiring to Inko and Hisashi that their son would be able to act in such a mature fashion.

It was a trait that they believed would take him far in the future.

Mizu was a rather timid and shy boy, though his eyes would always shine in fascinated curiosity whenever Izumi was to show interest in something as well. Though he wasn't needy of anything, all he felt he needed was to be able to stick by his parent's and siblings' sides. He was quiet but was incredibly kind, willing to forgive to greater lengths than even Izumi. A trait that seemingly all the Midoriyas shared, but in him, it shone the brightest.

He wasn't the kind to step out of line whenever he was in the presence of another person, nor would he say anything that didn't need to be said. Even in the face of an unfamiliar stranger, he would always greet them with a small smile and a soft greeting as he walked past pedestrians, holding his mother's hand. It was always nice to see them greet him back or simply nod with a small smile in response, though there were the few odd times where the person on the receiving end either ignored him or gave him a stink eye, which usually resulted in Inko needing to apologize to them before hurrying off with Mizu in tow in hopes of avoiding any suspicious confrontations.

If Izumi was there, he'd immediately take his place beside him and stare the person down. Not with a challenging gaze, but rather a blank one. One that would usually cause them to just turn away weirded out, though Izumi would always just say that it was the best way to not provoke them.

It's surprising what kind of stuff you can gleam off from watching films and videos off of the internet these days.

Despite Izumi being the physically weaker one of the two due to a naturally weak immune system which had often resulted in poor health, he had no problem nor qualms of doing whatever Mizu or Izuku wanted. They wouldn't ask much of him in those times of peace, but he would always give them his time of day, listen to everything they wanted to talk about or even help Mizu break out of his shell by introducing him with his friends, who would always welcome his presence with cheers and laughter. He would always work hard to see their smiles; as a child, it was the only thing that he felt he needed...

But what happened that night was far out of his reach, there was nothing he could do.

That night, Mizu awoke with a start from his bed with a cold sweat. The gripping pain that overtook Mizu's body as his eyes flew open choked him of any sort of relief nor grant him the ability to think straight as he wrestled against an invisible force from underneath the covers of his bed sheets. His breathing grew frantic and his eyes opened wide and pained despite his world spinning and the details of his own home becoming hazy and unrecognizable. Though he didn't have enough will or strength to pay attention to the details around him.

His body spasmed in an uncontrolled as well as frenzied manner, the flooding rush of blood harshly ripped through his ears, pounding against the depths of his head as all noise was drowned out with only the frantic surge of blood passing through his head. The pain that coursed throughout his body was indescribable, the chaos and muddled thoughts that accumulated within his mind went blank and only led to dead ends as he struggled in vain.

A terrible scream of pain had awoken everyone that night to the boy's newfound circumstance, causing the three other residents of the apartment to jolt up and rush over to his side immediately. In the living room, upon hearing the pained screech, Inko and Hisashi could only look at each other with a fearful and concerned look upon recognizing the cry coming from the twins' room. Immediately they knew that something was wrong. Without any pause, the two quickly stood up from where they sat as they hurried towards the bedroom where the twins slept.

Pushing the door open and flicking the light switch on, Inko and Hisashi called out to their two sons. Within the dark room, the two found Izumi kneeling beside Mizu with a frantic and fearful expression ever present on his face. The child whispering frantic murmurs of reassurances in a vain attempt to calm his sibling down, though it was no use. His hands were held over Mizu's shoulders, though the raven haired boy resisted against Izumi's touch. The endeavor had grown to be useless, though it was then that he noticed the door opening.

Upon noticing his parent's presence within the room, his head quickly snapped towards the two. His brows were furrowed in confusion and fear of the scene before him. His amber eyes shone pleading and panicked as he was on the verge if tears. Splatters of crimson had adorned his pale complexion, even his shirt didn't have the luxury of being spared form the decoration of scarlet droplets. Beside him, Mizu was still struggling and lashing out violently as he kept crying out in pain, his body convulsing and blood began staining the sheets as well as adorning his own body in a soft yet disturbing lash of crimson, dripping from the different orifices from his face. The white wall that was just beyond him was painted with a small splash of deep crimson red, like a fall of bloody rain. Incomplete imprints of bloodstained hands and smudges had visibly countered the clean canvas.

Izumi scurried towards the two and hugged their legs tightly, clinging onto them in fear, though he never tore his gaze away from his suffering brother. They could never blame him for such a thing, the bloody sight made it look as if he was being possessed by a demon.

"M-mom! D-dad! M-Mizu! He's-He!" He blurted out frantically before his breathing began to hasten and fall out of rhythm, his eyes bulging as he hugged his chest before he started coughing violently. Knowing that these were symptoms leading towards having a panic attack, Inko quickly knelt down to Izumi's level and hugged him tightly in hopes of calming him down, not caring for the fresh blood that stained her shirt. Izumi was already much more prone to these types of things more than other children due to his weak body, though it was a surprise that he was able to hang on this long before finally breaking down. Whispering reassurances into his ear, Inko held him tight; though the concerned expression she wore didn't leave her face as Izumi sobbed into the crook of her neck. She looked up to her husband, her forest green eyes glazed with worry. Eyes that told of an utter loss for words and indescribable confusion and fear. Hisashi nodded to Inko with a resolve to handle this, leaving Izumi in her care before rushing to Mizu's side with panic and worry for his son.

Hurrying over to the raven haired boy's bed, he knelt down to his level and brought the child close to his chest, ignoring the blood that slowly seeped and stained the fabric of his own shirt. Holding in his grunts of pain as Mizu's thrashing continued, but stopped as Mizu gasped for air, his eyes wide in pain; though he quickly latched onto his father, searching for the faintest flicker of comfort he could find through the overwhelming pain. His fingers dug in Hisashi's side as he sobbed into his chest. "D-dad... Help... I-it hurts..." He whimpered into his father's embrace, his words muffled but the man could hear him clearly. His eyes softened as Mizu's amber gaze met his own. His own anger began to boil, yet his heart broke as tears of blood fell form his bloodshot eyes, other leaks of blood pooled from his mouth and nose. Tightening his grip on Mizu, he held his head into the crook of his neck before lifting him up into his arms.

"Don't worry son... Please, hang on." He said softly into his ears. He couldn't tell if he had heard him or not as the frightened boy could only coupled with the fact that his ears were bleeding heavily, but it was all he could to do provide comfort for his son. His heart felt as if it were on the verge of shattering, seeing the broken and pained expression of his son's face had burned itself within his mind as he was adorned in a splattered veil of red. The blood that trailed down form the corners of his mouth, nose, eyes and ears.

It was an unbearable sight... it could nearly break a man.

But he didn't have time to break down, his son needed him, and he would be damned if he didn't do his best to save him from what plagued the innocent child.

Turning towards Inko, Hisashi's amber eyes glimmered with a shine of determination as he rushed over to her without any wasted movement. "Inko, please call the hospital. We need them to send an ambulance immediately!" He said hurriedly, yet he remained composed to not fall apart when his son needed him the most. Inko looked up to him from Mizu and nodded firmly before briskly standing up with Izumi still hugging her leg, his eyes closed tightly. Without any pause, she dug her hand into her pocket to draw out her phone, of which she immediately proceeded to dial the emergency phone line and waited for the other side to pick up. Despite how much her hands shook and her lips quivered in fear, she too was fueled with the resolve to see to it that her son would live. It wasn't long before the receiving end picked up as she did her best to get an ambulance to come on it's way here.

Hisashi constantly kept checks on Mizu who had trembled terribly within his grasp, his thrashing had since stopped only to be replaced with an endless production of shaking uncontrollably. Concerned that he may have a growing fever along with other symptoms that were certainly not normal in any situation that had applied to their circumstance, he placed his hand on Mizu's forehead.

He felt as cold as stone.

Yet it immediately heated up, matching heat in terms of that of a boiling kettle.

Hisashi's eyes widened as the abrupt sensation erupted through his fingers, causing him to draw his hand back immediately. His eyebrows widened in surprise, yet he only grew more confused and concerned over what was happening to his son. He didn't know of any ailments that could apply to a situation such as this, not to mention that a drastic and constant change in temperature wasn't something within the common knowledge of conditions. In fact, circumstances such as these would typically result in death relatively quickly.

Inwardly cursing to himself, he ran out, travelling to the living room. Standing at the entrance of the hallway, his eyes frantically scoured the place before his eyes scouted a nearby closet that held bathroom supplies. Hurrying towards it, he swiftly opened the door, revealing a large array of toiletry items, though all he needed was to grab two thick and large towels. As he did so, he proceeded to wrap the quivering boy with the soft fabric in hopes of supplying for keeping him warm or cooling him down to room temperature before hastily grabbing his keys and waited for the rest of his family to join him. It was all he could do for him until the paramedics had arrived.

He held him close to his chest, ignoring the risks of having him close to him as he was unsure or not whether the symptoms were contagious, but he didn't care. The violent change in temperature that emanated from Mizu's body grew increasingly drastic; the harsh range of temperatures even filtering through the blankets, though he could only whisper soft reassurances into Mizu's ear to provide any sort of comfort for him in this time of what he could only imagine was only unimaginable pain for him. Hisashi's head whipped up upon hearing the quick scuffing of footsteps brush against the floor nearby. Soon after, the relieving sight of Inko as well as the two children in two had stood near the hallway's entrance. Izuku was held securely in her arms, though he kept an expression of innocent curiosity on his face as he hung onto his mother's shoulder, being carried on her arm, the other occupying her phone. Izumi ran up beside her, with a face of worry before running up to Hisashi, wanting to be there for his twin brother.

"T-they said t-that they'll a-arrive in a few m-minutes. W-we need to get downstairs!" Inko said shakily, still terrified by the urgent and dangerous prospect of Mizu's condition. Hisashi nodded in an affirmative as he turned around to open the door. Though seeing that his hands were occupied with holding his brother securely within his embrace, Izumi quickly moved from his side in front of him to do it in his stead. Quickly undoing the locks with quick precision before pulling the door open wide, he turned towards his father. His eyes shining with determination as well as an aura of seriousness that made no room for further discussion as he motioned his head towards the well lit hallway of the complex. Hisashi stared at him wide eyed in surprise but it quickly softened into one of thanks as he rushed past him outside. The other three quickly followed suit, making sure to lock the door with their spare key on the way out.

The world continued spinning for Mizu as the blurred lights of the hallways transitioned quickly, almost flashing in his eyes. It was painful to move, let alone keep his eyes opened; though the silhouette of his father shielded him from the burning light. Upon noticing the pained blue gaze Mizu sent him, Hisashi did his best to send him a kind smile, though the worry and urgency of his expression never left the smile that tugged on his lips. He was hardly able to speak a word to him, nor could he hear anything that he said despite seeing his lips moving. When he made an attempt to croak out something back, it only resulted in him coughing up a large splotch of crimson on Hisashi.

The man winced at the feeling. It was indescribable, how the crimson liquid that landed on his chest make him feel as if his skin was burning up only to quickly feel as if it were stacked under bags of ice. He coughed in face of the sensation, though he remained steadfast in his running. He could only return his stare towards Mizu, though not with any sort of annoyance or anger, but rather increasing concern. "Don't speak, Mizu... please, save your energy; we're nearly there." He said softly, though his voice was strained from holding in a grunt. Upon noticing the large opening before him that led to the main lobby, he felt his legs moving faster as the flashing red lights outside the glass panels told him that he was nearly there. While the lobby was brightly lit and well cleaned, thankfully there were little to no people present, all except for the attendant who had just packed to leave. They had noticed the bloodstained child in the amber eyed man's arms and proceeded to scream in fright. Hisashi however paid no attention to them whatsoever as he proceeded to continue making his way out to the front door loudly without any sort of remorse nor care for his actions.

Bursting the door open, he was thankfully greeted with the more than relieving sight of a single white ambulance. The red siren stationed on top of the vehicle blinked and flashed brightly, though it had yet to sound it's toll of urgency. Three people stood around the white vehicle with a matching set of bright yellow vests that stood out brightly against the dark of the night. The ambulance's back was already opened as he three paramedics had quickly exited the vehicle, conversing worriedly with each other before they noticed the broken father before them.

With a broken yet relieved smile, he hurried towards them with Mizu convulsing within his grasp. "Thank the gods you're here." He whispered out as the two paramedics that broke off from what Hisashi could only assume was the driver of the vehicle. One of them was a middle aged woman with a head of blonde hair tied in a ponytail, her bronze eyed gaze shifted towards the child with a matter of seriousness yet showed heavy concern for the state of the child. The other was a middle aged man with a head of messy brown hair along with a pair of murky brown eyes, he on the other hand started to ask Hisashi of what had happened. Complying with his queries, the two nodded in response before the bronze eyed paramedic looked towards Hisashi as if asking permission for her to handle the child. It took a moment for Hisashi to decide whether or not to burden the paramedics with his circumstances but solemnly nodded but gave them a fair warning in response to handling him.

Hearing the vivid description from his own mouth, they turned to each other wide eyed in response to the unnatural reaction of Mizu's condition but nodded with resolve, knowing that it was still their role to do their best to save his life.

"We'll take it from here, but we need one of the adults to accompany us." The brunette paramedic stated as the Inko and the other two children joined Hisashi beside him. Inko looked up towards Hisashi who had done the same. Though Inko could see the flicker of perturbed restlessness in Hisashi's darkened amber eyes that pleaded for her to allow him to stay with Mizu. Inko nodded in agreeance. As much as she too wanted to be by Mizu's side, Hisashi was more than likely more knowledgeable of what happened of the two. She moved to hold his hand, which tightened in response, though Hisashi was careful to not squeeze it to a point where it was painful for her.

"I'll go." Hisashi stated clearly with a solemn nod upon turning back to the two. The paramedics nearby looked to each other and nodded before moving to quickly set a place for Mizu to lay on and prepare all of the necessary equipment that would tell them of his current condition. They all moved with fluid and swift motions, a look of dire yet composed fire in their eyes as the made every action with decisiveness, resolved to carry out their mission which was something that Hisashi and Inko were immensely grateful for. The raven haired man then turned towards Inko and the two children, his expression softening upon meeting Izumi's scared yet disappointed gaze, seeing that we would most likely not be able to go with the two. He knelt down to his level and wrapped his hand to cup the back of Izumi's head of forest green hair, drawing him in for him to kiss him on the temple of his forehead before offering a kind smile. "Daddy has to go with Mizu, I know that you want to go as well... but I want you to stay with your mother, alright?"

Izumi didn't speak as he could only avert his gaze in thought, though he gaze a soft nod in response. Though the hidden disappointment was still present within his amber eyes, there was also resolve. Hisashi smiled widely as he ruffled his hair. "That's my boy." He said proudly before standing up to meet Inko as well as little Izuku's gaze. The forest haired woman smiled gently at her husband as their gazes met each other's though the worry for her son was still ever present on her pale face. He had decided that it wasn't something that suited the woman as he moved forward to kiss her on the lips. Inko gladly accepted the action as she too leaned forward, leaving Mizu in his, as well as the other paramedics' hands.

"Let's meet up at the hospital, okay?" Hisashi said, moving back before brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. The woman smiled and nodded gently as her hold on Izuku tightened.

"Okay." Was all she could say as her eyes grew misty. Hisashi smiled gently and cupped her face, hoping to give her any shred of reassurance from his touch. To him, it may be the least he could do at a time like this, but for Inko, it was more than enough. She nodded sadly, sighing softly as she sunk into the comfort of her husband's gentle hand. Izuku turned to look at them curiously before smiling softly, reaching out for his father. The raven haired man turned towards the two year old child that had his small arms outstretched towards him. He as well as Inko chuckled at the child's actions, though the two were more than willing to supply him with what he wanted. He wrapped his arms securely around Izuku after Inko had carefully transferred him into his grasp. The child giggled with childlike glee, as did Hisashi as he returned the hug, careful to avoid the splotches of blood on his shirt.

It wasn't long before Hisashi had to say his goodbye to his family as the two paramedics called for him to board the vehicle. He turned to the three of them, all having worried smiles on their faces. He nodded back before moving to embrace the three of them in a heartfelt hug. "I love you all, I'll see you then." He whispered to the three of them as they parted. Inko and Izumi nodded in affirmation, giving him the best smiles they could muster seeing Hisashi move with the two paramedics onto the ambulance. Seeing them through the glass on the back panels of the vehicle, he waved towards them as the engines whirred to life.

The three waved back as the vehicle slowly shrunk out of sight. Izumi's hand dropped as he turned towards his mother, her hand in his own grasp. Her eyes were misty and her cheeks were red with tears, though she quickly shook her head and brushed them away as she turned to look towards Izumi and give him a brave smile. "Let's get to the car, okay? Looks like we need to play catch up." She said softly, Izumi nodded and smiled before moving alongside his mother to catch up with his father and his brother.

The ride to the hospital was long and stressful. It hurt him enough to see his son hooked up to all these wires and machines that beeped maddeningly with unaligned rhythms that strangely fell back into place at random intervals. There was an IV drip to help sustain him from all the blood he lost, not to mention that Mizu wasn't able to drink any water on his own. These were things that was supposed to become of the victims of the cases he was tasked to handle, not his son. The heavy bleeding had since stopped and his temperature stabilized, it had been a miracle that Mizu was still alive considering the heavy loss of blood he had suffered, though that was only a tiny straw of hope that could collapse at any second. He could only clasp his hands together tightly and hold them up to his forehead in prayer to whatever god up there would hear his prayers. His eyes were painfully glued to the sight of Mizu breathing heavily on the now blood flecked bed that he lay on. He would gasp in pain and convulse as the monitors beeped harshly and rapidly. It made his heart race to see the two that were on beside him try and use their quirks to stabilize his condition, only to be able to calm him down for a few moments before it happened once again.

He just wanted his son to be okay.

Hisashi took his place beside his son, of which Mizu seemed to recognize him and slowly turn his head towards his general direction. The oxygen mask strapped to his face became clouded as his breathing rhythm hastened. "D-dad..." He croaked out, his voice softened by the contraption placed over his mouth. The monitors started to beat faster and continue to rise as Mizu grunted in pain, though he was unable to do anything due to his limbs being tied down to the bed. He leaned in closer to Mizu, kneeling at his side. His brows furrowed in worry and unease though he never failed to try and support him with a compassionate look of concern as he caressed the side of his face to calm him down and used his other hand to hold Mizu's with a firm yet gentle hold.

"Shh, easy... rest, Mizu. Please..." Hisashi begged his son as his eyes grew misty with the painful sight of the raven haired boy's expression of pure agony. Without moving from where he knelt, he turned his head towards the driver who sat just about a foot away from him. "How much longer will it take for us to reach the hospital." He asked anxiously. The driver turned towards him for a moment to assess the situation behind him and quickly returned his attention back to the road.

"We're just about the next corner sir." They replied in a stoic tone, yet he could hear the underlying stress and fear that his in between his lines. Hisashi nodded gratefully in response, leaving him to his devices before turning back towards Mizu, both of his hands now placed over his as he cupped the boy's smaller hand, which was balled into a fist.

"Please, stay with us." He whispered softly to his son. As if fate had different ideas in store, the monitors began to blare violently as Mizu began to fall back into the hold of his symptoms. Seizures and futile flailing, even going as far as to continue coughing up heavy amounts of blood. The paramedics immediately went to take action, though they were at a complete and utter loss of what to do, knowing that taking any other measure of action would be too much of a risk to activate on such a small child. It was much worse than any of the previous instances where Mizu had fallen into such a chaotic and chronic state of health, it only broke Hisashi more as the mask he had worn slowly began to fill with his blood.

"No, no..." He whimpered as he reached over to rip off the oxygen masked that would become his execution tool. Harshly ripping out the bloodstained plastic, blood flew everywhere as the remaining blood conjured within the mask had been released to the air. Even droplets of crimson had landed on the three paramedics as well as the rest of the white interior of the ambulance. Of which the two nearest to them immediately tried to wipe the substance off and spitting out any blood that had gotten into their mouths. Despite ridding the tool, Mizu still struggled to breathe as was tied down to the bed, unable to face anywhere other than up.

Without a second thought, Hisashi activated his quirk to burn the restraints that held his son in place as he slammed his palms against the straps and watched as they burned in a white flame. He quickly did so for the other few restraints and moved to tightly embrace his son. "C'mon son, hang on; we're nearly there!" He yelled desperately, tears freely flowing as the boy tried to move his limbs but to no avail. He felt himself slowly grow limp as darkness started to overtake him. Mizu could only shed a single tear of blood before he blacked out from reality. The monitors fell into a dead line as the dreaded sound of the ungraceful tone rang, meaning only one thing.

"Mizu!" Hisashi yelled in despair, holding his son's head to his chest as he wailed in anger of his loss. The two beside him held their heads down in defeat and sorrow of their failure, even the driver had dared to turn to look back with a grim expression on his face. They couldn't muster the courage nor the words to say anything, the battle was lost.

Though amidst the moment of anguish, unbeknownst to the four passengers of the vehicle, Mizu's eyes burst open wide in a frenzy of lost control. Hisashi's eyes were pried open upon feeling the terrible tremble of his son's body within his grasp. "Son...?" He whispered out, his voice coarse. He couldn't believe it, there were a storm of questions that invaded his mind in that one moment. How is he still alive? Why is he trembling? Why did the line go dead? Why-

But the questions that he seeked would end up becoming that of a serious accident. The paramedics were just as surprised at the boy's sudden movement, though he pushed himself away from his father as a result.

The only thing he saw before the world around turned black, before his body had to bear under an experience like nothing he had ever felt before... the things that would always return to haunt him, was his blood red eyes.

* * *

"I wanted to die then, it was too much for little four year old me to bear..." The raven haired boy reminisced with a bitter frown. He let out a rough exhale and sat up from his hunched over position to lift his gaze to the uninteresting ceiling above them. After all these years, that one memory still continued to persist within his dreams. He tapped his fingers as his trail of thought continued silently, though upon coming to no conclusions, he simply shook his head before returning his gaze back to meet hers. "Though... I'm glad that you guys didn't get hurt." Mizu smiled slightly. Inko's eyes widened in response, though her expression of surprise quickly melted into that of a soft yet downcast smile as her gaze shifted to her clutched hands, tightening over the hem of the skirt she wore.

"We lost sight of the ambulance by the time we were able to reach the car... but..." She looked up to him, an indescribable look of sadness and pain adorning her face. Her posture was rigid, though she let out a soft exhale and began fiddling with her fingers at the memory of fire and red. "We saw everything... the explosion, the fire... thankfully Hisashi was able to come out alive... but the others..." She drifted off, averting her gaze with shut eyes and her hand covering her mouth in remembrance of the horrid sight before them when the car carrying Inko, Izumi and Izuku had stopped in it's tracks upon coming to witness the wreck that lay ahead.

"It was a rain of fire and suffering, that was for sure... Believe me, it wasn't a pleasant experience either." Mizu admitted coldly, his arms crossed as he turned his gaze away from her as well. Taking interest in the nothingness that laid bare beside him and away from his mother. Inko sighed, suppressing a shudder at the memory. The vivid scene was still fresh on her mind since their encounter, having taken in the full experience of what happened as they were already in following pursuit of the vehicle. Thankfully, none of them were hurt by what had happened... though she couldn't say the same for those who had accompanied Hisashi.

"Those men and women... they were gone..." She said sadly with a tone of great sadness and sorrow, her voice trailing off. Mizu nodded in thought. The sight itself was incredibly gruesome and disturbing, Inko had to ensure that Izumi and Izuku did not even sneak a glance towards the scene with frantic warnings. Ravaged corpses with the upper half of their bodies blown to bloodied bits. A pool of blood collected underneath the brightly burning flame of the destroyed vehicle in tow. The three were gone, no doubt about; though as to how, Inko did not know, she did not want to know.

"I-it... it w-wasn't you, was it?" Inko asked him hopefully, yet the sad acknowledgement that she already knew his answer remained present on her face. There was a slim possibility that there was a third party involved at the incident, but most, if not all possible conceivable methods and motives were disproved immediately.

There was the possibility that a villain wanted his quirk, but it was the night of his own awakening to his powers. There was no firm evidence to suggest that someone else was involved as all three of the bodies were present on the scene. Hisashi was casted suspicion on the crime since he had miraculously come out alive, though suspicions were disproven with his situation, how his quirk worked, along with provided testimony from Inko to disprove any sort of preparation beforehand.

While he wasn't actually conscious to see the bodies, Mizu had seen the photos given to him by his master... as a sort of way to keep him in line. He was a murderer, there was no doubt about that. Their deaths were the result of the use of his own quirk, a quick that he had no control over, but the act was still committed by him anyways. As such was how the world worked, guilt wouldn't wash away so easily as the blood on his hands. "It... was indeed me. How my quirk works can prove this." He said coolly, emotion devoid from his eyes. Inko had to fight back a sob at her son's admission to the truth, as much as it was hard to hear, as much as she already knew the truth of the matter, in fact, it was what the court had decided that day as the only possible reason... it left her heartbroken.

"What happened, Mizu?... Please... tell me..." She asked him, not even knowing herself if she would even want to hear the answer to such a question. Odds are, she wasn't going to like it one bit. Though fortunately/unfortunately for her, Mizu didn't seem too eager on the matter as he scoffed and averted his gaze with a stoic and stone cold face, his eyes closed on the matter as he folded his arms disapprovingly.

"That's something that you don't need to concern yourself with, mother... it's not like it matters anyways." He murmured coldly. He remained unmoved on the matter which only made Inko frown sadly, yet she wanted to help him. She knew that it still bothered him to this day... she should be able to help him, right? He's had all these years of being alone and embraced the side of villainy, even if he puts on a cold mask, he was still hurting inside, she just knew it.

"Mizu... what happened?" She persisted, wanting to know what happened that night. Mizu scoffed once again, though it's sound was much more hostile in nature as the air grew noticeable colder around them.

"Like I said, it doesn't matter. You. Don't. Need. To. Know." He spelled out the words for her with heavy pauses, stressing and emphasizing the nature of the topic. He was dead serious, though he remained refusing to even take a look at her. The messy raven haired bangs had cast a shadow over his eyes, though his rigid jaw had set for his discomfort and stance on the matter.

"B-but!" She protested, but was quickly silenced by the harsh and piercing glare of his dark sapphire eyes. A gaze that had bore into her soul, a gaze that was simply too much for her to bear.

"Enough." His breathing was heavy and nearly animalistic in nature, gritted teeth and his posture stressed and rigid as a dark aura exuded from his figure. A rough exhale of breath left his mouth as the room slowly began to return to a manageable temperature for the both to sit comfortably, yet the situation the two were in was far from that as his glowering gaze turned back to the ground, finding interest in the flooring.

"There is no need for you to know what had transpired that night. Nor do I want anyone to know..." He whispered in a low tone. Inko flinched at the tone Mizu had used and shrunk into her seat, her gaze cast and averted away from the monster before her. With a sigh, Mizu closed his eyes in thought, seemingly wanting to get away from the topic of his own powers.

A tense silence fell between them, both parties having different reasons as to not being able to speak. Though as much as the situation between them was already on thin ice, the only thing she could do was make small talk. After all, who knows what would happen to her after this. Even if the thought of being discarded was not pleasant, all she wanted... was to spend some time with her long lost son... but he had already fallen deep into the hole, perhaps he didn't want to be saved, but she would be damned to not try... but where to start?

"C-can... I ask you something... Mizu?" Inko asked, breaking the silence. Mizu stared up at her with that same emotionless gaze, his blue eyes staring into hers as he remains unflinching. He sat upright and folded his leg over the other, seemingly open to discussion as long as it didn't pertain to their previous topic of discussion.

"What?" He said simply and coldly, his arms unfolding as he propped his arms to support his chin; though his gaze softened, seemingly wanting her to entertain him with whatever she wanted to ask. Inko paused for a moment, seemingly not knowing how to proceed. Her nervousness only continued to grow in the prolonged silence as even Mizu raised a brow with the rigid look his mother gave the space in front of her. He could even swear that he saw beads of sweat drip down her face, though he wasn't sure why. Truth be told, her mind had just gone completely blank, all she was met with was dead ends, and only topics that would only serve to sour the situation... she just had to make up something.

"Um... I, uh..." Inko murmured, though she began to fidget knowing that her mind was pretty much blank. She couldn't come up with any reasonable topics to discuss despite her making the first move to initiate in another conversation, though it was only now that she realized that she was woefully unprepared.

"I was just wondering... um," She continued to delay her response which had earned a raised eyebrow from Mizu. It was only a few long seconds after that something had come to Inko.

"H-how are you doing?" She stuttered, with a sheepish smile at the end. The sapphire eyed boy could only stare at her for a moment, seemingly dumbfounded. Now it was Inko's turn to feel uneasy about his silence, though the tension was quickly shattered by a bout of unexpected laughter resulting from Mizu, who had leaned far back on the stool with his head held high and his right hand covering his eyes. The other hand was set to his waist as he continued to laugh at the mundane and remarkably trivial question, though he found it amusing nonetheless.

Perhaps she was the person he was laughing at, though she couldn't help but smile as well. In front of her, she could hear a genuine melody of laughter; laughter that was reminiscent of the little boy she had lost all those years ago... coming back to her, even if it was just for a brief moment.

His laughter slowly died down, though whether or not Mizu knew it, his small smile remained and persisted on his profile. Perhaps they were on the different sides of the story, but it still gave her the returning feeling of maternal love for her lost son, even if he did or didn't want it. The raven haired boy wiped a loose tear from his eye before succumbing to another small fit of childish giggles from the lingering dregs of amusement pertained from his mother's nervousness.

"I've been well, more or less... life of a villain hasn't been so bad." He admitted with a small closed eyed smile. His tone had softened, not to mention that his cold expression had melted into one much more amiable in nature. Even if the mention of his life as a villain had set her on edge at the topic, not to mention that it continued to weigh on her soul; she could at least smile, knowing that at least Mizu was happy where he was... even if it wasn't one she would agree with.

"I'm glad that you're alright..." She said softly with a small smile, her gaze shifted downwards from his as her hands fiddled with each other. "Even if I've said it countless times already... I'm sorry that we couldn't be there for you." Inko continued, her voice barely audible. Mizu sighed once more as he relaxed into his seat, crossing over his feet once more as he gave food for thought.

"You don't need to worry about me, mom. I'm fine..." He drifted off , staring at the floor with a bittersweet smile. Inko frowned at the sight as she leaned forward towards him, placing a hand on his knee.

"Couldn't there have been another way?" She asked quietly, though once again, she knew very well that it was a query that she already knew the answer of; and one that she would most definitely not like. Though, it was something that she wanted to hear from Mizu herself, there was still room for him in their family... right? Even if he was lost, she wanted to guide him back... but unfortunately fate had decided that was impossible a long time ago. Mizu shook his head dismissively of the suggestion, he knew that once he had woken up from that night, he would be trapped in that man's world as a pawn.

"No, what my future has in store is a one way ticket to hell." He laughed bitterly to himself, he didn't have a choice in the matter, it was simply what he was raised to do. His free will was stripped from him long ago, now he was just a puppet. A fool who had mistakenly took the hand of the illusion of a saving grace, only to be met with the face of the devil. A simple child met with the cruel face of reality, a child in need of a hero to save him from the pain he felt that night... only for someone else, someone much different to respond to his calls into the darkness.

 _Take my hand, child. I promise that your pain will vanish like a moth to a flame._

It truly was a moth flying into a flame, blindly taking the change of having his life given back to him but in exchange for a fate worse than death... or so he believed. It was something that he had grown accustomed to over the course of his years growing up to become a villain under the tutelage of the man known as... the symbol of evil.

Inko shook her head, feeling a growing pain in her heart from the look of emptiness Mizu's eyes held. Without any pause, hastened with the desire and need to vanquish the feeling of sorrow Mizu had been burdened with, she moved her chair forward to place her hands over his. Her chubby hands were smaller than his own rough and calloused hands, but he could still feel the warmth that emanated form her reassuring presence. He looked up to her to meet her concerned gaze, her emerald eyes filled with endless amount of worry and concern as her lips were pursed into a frown.

"Don't say that... you can still live with us, I'm sure that Izumi and Izuku wouldn't mind." Inko pleaded with him, though Mizu drew his hands back form her's and shook his head in denial of the proposition. As much as he wanted to be a part of that family again... he knew that it wouldn't be complete. Especially considering that he was a prime participant in the USJ attack that had resulted in heavily injuring Izumi, not to mention that some of his later instances of communication, despite hiding his identity, had made things tense between them... not to mention that what would happen after this little talk would most likely have him dig his own grave.

But Inko didn't know that.

Despite all her hope for what remained of their family to be pieced back together, nothing he could do would make things back the way they were; there was no place for him now. But that feeling had long since passed, or at least he would have liked to believe. There was nothing left for him, but being here... it gave him purpose. He was given a purpose, to serve under the man who had reached out to him that night, he was indebted to him, he would have been dead without him. Though at first, it was a nightmare for him.

The continuation of pain never seemed to desist as flashes of light and the horrendous beeping of monitors, the piercing pain of needles and blades prodding his body... and most of all, the feeling of his own life draining through every day's passing. Though he would be able to return to the comfort of a life of normality, a few measly hours devoid of the pain and intensity his body and mind alike had to experience... All for the sake of reaching further into their mad idealistic ambitions and fantasies of that man, that slowly became reality. He was the one who was meant to be proof of that, he wasn't normal, he wasn't human... he was something worse, and that's what he's always been told. That was how he was raised, there was nothing else that appealed to him because that was all he knew.

Besides, after all he had done, turning back would only make his life all the more miserable.

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid that I can't do that." Mizu said, his voice devoid of emotion, though Inko could hear the sincerity of his apology. She frowned, already missing the feeling of his own touch under her's, only to be met with the cold air. Her hands clenched sadly as she returned her gaze up to him, to which Mizu avoided her gaze. He seemed to be lost in thought, though what he was thinking about, Inko wasn't sure. But whatever it was, she would always give him the time of day to listen. It was only another thing that she could do to atone for their loss of time.

"Mizu-" She reached out to him again, though her words were cut short and interrupted by a series of harsh banging against the steel door that sat at the end of the room. The loud noise had startled the forest haired woman as she jumped terribly at the sound, her face enveloped in a visible flinch along with letting out a small yelp in surprise. Mizu, on the other hand remained seated on his stool, though his eyes glowered towards the door, a small scowl on his face.

Though whatever he knew was on the other side of that door, it could only have meant one thing. Sighing heavily, he took a moment to share a look of reluctance as he heaved himself up form the seat. Proceeding to stretch his muscles, especially since their talk had occurred over what he could only imagine was quite a while, he took one final glance towards Inko as his posture returned to normal, his tattered black cloak falling back to it's place, untarnished by wrinkles.

"Looks like my time is over. It's about to begin..." He said, closing his eyes before returning his gaze back towards the steel door. Without as much as a word of goodbye, he turned to leave. His footsteps drumming against the flooring, though Inko reached out to him with an expression of worry.

"W-what do you mean... W-what's about to begin?"

He stopped but dared not to turn around despite the tone of concern his mother had voiced out to him. Inko's grasping hand faltered behind the raven haired boy's image as it slowly lowered in favor of releasing any futile actions. His silence perturbed her, though she remained steadfast on the topic as her eyes shifted to one of anxious seriousness. Though again, Mizu didn't even make a move to look back. All he could do was hand his head low before continuing his trodden walk towards the door.

"Mizu...?" Inko called out, her voice growing weaker as the distance between the two grew. This time, Mizu didn't falter, he showed no signs of stopping despite her pleads to stay with her, to answer the questions she had for him. There was simply no time left for any sort of family bonding, besides, it was only by his own efforts that such sessions were able to take place at all... but time had run out.

The echoing patter of his footsteps stopped as he stood before the door, which Inko could only assume was a colleague standing on the other side of the metal barrier. Mizu remained still and silent for a moment, seemingly lost in thought, though as quick as he was to submerge into such a trance, he fiddled with all the preset locks that adorned the hinge of the frame the door was surrounded by before promptly sliding the sheet of metal open.

From what Inko could tell of whomever stood on the other side of the door, they were at least shorter than Mizu. Despite not being able to see their head above his, the figure had worn a large white lab coat which had hugged over the figure's body.

"Hmph, took you long enough kiddo." The figure had told him snarkily with a low pitched voice. From what she could gather, the figure was a male. They seemed to be at least older than Mizu as well given by how he used the term "kiddo" though that was already something that she had likely considered due to Mizu's relatively young age. It wouldn't be a far stretch to assume that most of his colleagues would at least have a few years in age over him, though then again, she didn't know much about the underworld of villains.

Mizu glared at the man before grumbling something incomprehensible to himself, though however much he wanted to remove his presence from here, his was a needed procedure for his plan to work. Thus, he reluctantly moved out of the way to show the man in full view to Inko. It was then that a rush of memories had overwhelmed her senses as his features came into light. She could feel her body trembling as her eyes darted all around his familiar features, her hand clasped over her mouth as she could only stare in bewilderment, confusion and unease.

"Y-you're..." She whispered out to the man, who seems to shift his attention towards her.

 _"I'm afraid there's no hope for him..."_

Like she had seen earlier, the man had worn a knee long white doctor's coat buttoned over his body, which was a medium sized build. The white of the coat was untarnished with any sort of impure substance or color, though there were a few pens and a pencil held in the pocket over his chest, however there was no sign of a name tag. The man stood at around what she could only assume was about 167 cm from where she sat, though his stature or build wasn't one that would communicate any sort of intimidation. The man had black dress pants and shoes on, clacking against the flooring as he approached. He wore that same grey collared shirt underneath his with a loose black tie hanging from his neck.

No, it couldn't be... but why?

Walking closer into the spotlight, his shined balded head came into view along with his furrowed eyebrows and fluffy sandy beige colored hairs adorned his pale and rounded face. Though the most interesting feature on this person was the strange golden lined and emerald colored goggles he wore, as well as having a scar adorned just at the corner of his right side eyebrow.

 _"... he's quirkless."_

Inko flinched as the man stopped in front of her, the glassy yet opaque glass of his goggles whirred and spun with a small shine that left Inko with a more than uncomfortable feeling. He stood curiously over her, hand on his chin in thought but made no moves to impose over her as he sighed behind the bushy mustache that sat over his lip and leaned back to give her space. Though it unnerved her that his wicked smile would show from under the stache of hairs that would usually cover any presence of his mouth, yet he smiled so wide that the crooked ends of his lips would show.

"It's a pleasure to meet you again, Miss Midoriya." The man spoke in a dauntingly pleasant tone that was reminiscent of their last meeting around eleven years ago. It made the pit of her stomach churn to see this man here, though what that would mean was something that she couldn't even fathom to comprehend... yet she knew that it wasn't anything good. It only made her even more uncomfortable as he bowed mockingly, yet his clouded goggles were the strongest benefactor towards his unpredictable profile.

Mizu huffed, crossing his arms before sending the man a stern glare, standing nearby Inko. "No funny business; got it, doc?" The sapphire eyed boy made it clear with the clean cut tone in his voice, emphasizing even his discomfort for the man's nature. Even knowing who he was for all these years, he was a man of mystery who would only show himself beside his master. He hadn't even made his face known to Shigaraki and Kurogiri had the unpleasant fortune to meet the man once or twice in his career.

Nevertheless, the man was smart and terrifyingly clever. He was the main contributor towards a certain project that had been keeping close towards a new power, not to mention that alongside his master, he would have helped to develop the Nomus. He had varying skills in terms of all physiology, biology and so much more, though he never had a name to call his own... other than "The Doctor". No name, no history, no memories... yet despite his suspicious and more than creepy character, what was one of the most terrifying part of him, was his quirk.

The man snorted but nodded, not bothering to make any sort of retort. Turning back towards Inko, all pleasantries were gone as he pulled out a clean white glove from his coat's pocket. Swiftly having the glove snugly in his wear, he even added a little snap at the collar of the plastic, causing Inko to flinch slightly and Mizu to huff in annoyance. In only a moment's worth of time, this man had changed form something disturbing and creepy to a person much more sinister and malicious.

She wanted to scream, to yell, to get away, yet Mizu held his hand out towards her, keeping her in place. Her movements stopped, she felt like she was choking. Her breaths strained yet her eyes pleadingly turned towards Mizu. His gaze was saddened and burdened, yet he knew that this was something that needed to happen. Her arms and legs, head and body positioned themselves accordingly, sitting neatly where she sat as the doctor moved up towards Inko once more.

With nothing else to stop him, he reached his hand out towards Inko's temple, causing the woman to nervously keep her eyes trained on the offending white hand that would soon make contact with her forehead. Questions seeping into the depths of her mind, wanting to be answered; yet she knew that she wasn't going to get any, especially with how the man smirked towards her.

"Hold still now, this will hurt."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Forgive me if this chapter isn't that great, most of the chapters that take a long time to write are usually the ones I like least, not to mention that writing this was painful for my soul. Mommy Inko shouldn't have to go through these type of things... but it's for the story, believe me.**

 **Kind of a flashback chapter for more development regarding history, so I hope you guys don't mind. Don't worry, the next chapter will definitely have more character relationship development especially considering that a particular uncelebrated event is coming up. Originally that was going to be a part of this chapter as well, though now that I think about it, it'd probably become another 20,000 word chapter as well, in fact it may even be a 30,000 page chapter! (*laughs nervously*). Thankfully they take place in different places of time, so we can proceed without a cliffhanger.**

 **I feel as if it should be fairly clear as to what happened to Inko now, though I just gave the doctor a quirk that I thought would work well in his favor of helping serve under All for One.**

 **Anyways, once again I apologize for keeping the details of Mizu's quirk hidden for now, but feel free to speculate anything you wish. Trust me, it's pretty technical in nature and it is indeed likely that it's out of the reach of any normal assumptions of a basic quirk, though I suppose that's already a given. Though again, it would make much more sense for such a topic to be broached between the twins rather than Inko. She probably isn't as curious as to his quirks as much, nor is she really aware of what it really is either other than the result of the paramedics' bodies.**

 **Thanks for reading.**

 **Ignis**


	23. A start and a chance to rise

**Author's Notes:**

 **Hey guys, I'm back with a new chapter!**

 **Anyways, school's been pretty kind to me so far, though it only makes me wonder how long it takes before I start to hate it again... anyways, enjoy the chapter, I think it turned out pretty well. Sorry that it took so long to get this chapter out. I've been trying to write a bit each day, though unless I pretty much go about 1 or 2 hours without stopping, the progress isn't great. Especially considering that I'm still practicing on writing coherent thoughts of self doubt without overlapping or seeming silly (which trust me, after reading it again, I started to get kind of paranoid if it was good or not)**

 **But that's enough for now, enjoy!**

* * *

 **Midoriya Household**

A long drawn out sigh escaped Izuku's lips as he sat on his bed pulling the weights that All Might had bought for him as a present since his inheritance of One for All. Undisturbed, he continued to work out, yet his eyes seemed vacant and his expression deep in thought. He was secluded in his rooms since the day of Stain's murder, out of reach from any of his friends and contacts as his phone had laid far away on his table, undisturbed. After the events of Izumi's disappearance as well as his mother's apparent categorized amnesia, the freckled haired boy had fallen into a state of depression.

During the occasions where Inko would try to talk with him, he would only find himself giving her a weak smile, saying that he was alright before leaving to seclude himself back in his cage. Other times, he would tell her that he would be going out to the beach where he had trained with All Might during the early parts of the year for a run to clear his mind.

Thankfully, school had been cancelled until a few days' time due to the teachers needing to deal with the public and news and speak on Izumi's behalf, despite him being nowhere to be found. However, this left little for Izuku to do in the free time he had until his usual schedule resumed. Of which had caused a very lackluster and simple routine that would end up hurting him more than having any sort of benefit. Though he was too much in a daze to even realize the consequences of his seclusion. Izuku had a lot on his plate to think about ever since the incident, and the longer he took to think on it, the more his problems branched out to delve into much deeper and more personal matters that he knew would stay with him for the rest of his life.

During the few instances where Izuku would walk out to the kitchen or dining table to have something to eat, the table would always seem so awkward as there was little conversation that he could make with his mother other than the topic of his studies when it was just the two of them. There were times where words spilled from her mouth as a consequence of her memory loss that would tie into Izumi's disappearance. It had hurt him to see her look of love only turn into a look of confusion whenever his name popped up. He wanted to scream, to yell in hopes of releasing the darkness welled up within him, but he could never bring himself to take it out on her. Inko had been allowed on a small period of leave until she got better; though there were a few things missing from her memory, though she seemed to have picked up on things relatively quickly. However there were no signs of her regaining any sort of recollection of what had been lost.

Their home felt that much emptier to him that Inko would usually find a soft frown on his face whenever she would spot him walking around the hallway to find the toilet or even watch television for a while before returning back to his room, though Izuku tried his best to ignore the pit of sadness he was experiencing. It simply just didn't feel right to find the seat that sat opposite to him empty, nor would he be able to find the bright smile that would spread across his brother's face as he would enter the living room.

It was painful for him to accept the reality of his brother's missing case, especially with the disgusting and cruel evidence left behind by those responsible... even if it were by his own hands. When he had saw the documents given to him by Naomasa Tsukauchi, All Might's trusted friend; he could only laugh thinking that it was some sort of cruel joke, though unfortunately, fate wasn't so kind. He wanted to crush the incriminating yet potentially death threatening autopsy report and photo evidence that were in his hands, to shred the remaining bits of paper and throw them to the wind; however, doing so was just something that would cause more trouble than it would achieve. He was even given the report as it was a copied spare that the detective had made to give to the young boy, of which currently sat on top of his desk beside his silent and motionless phone.

The emerald eyed boy grunted, lowering the weighted dumbbells to his lap as he stared at it in frustration. He wanted to let loose some steam, go out for a run or perhaps train his technique, though he felt too tired to do anything today. Retaining self control with a small huff, he placed the weights back on the ground before before throwing himself backwards on his bed with a soft thud. His hand was drawn over his eyes, covering his vision as his hair pressed out against the soft yet firm mattress. Perhaps this was all just a nightmare, oh how he could only dream that it was such. Though reality was something that he couldn't bend, even if he tried.

Lifting his hand up to his forehead, his gaze drifted around the room, taking note of the many All Might posters he had collected over the years, hanging strewn around the entire room in a neat and fashioned order. Seeing the big saving smile that would appear on All Might's face had always inspired him, yet all he could feel now was just emptiness.

Why bother wasting his time with his own problems? He already has his plates full with his own problems, so why should he add more on?

That was something that Izuku would always think from a very young age. And though there would be many beside him who would happily take some of the problems off of his shoulders to give him a brief moment of relief, there were moments where he would believe he was just being a burden. It pained him to think that it could have even been his own fault that his brother needed to save him and Todoroki against a stronger opponent than the two, especially since Izuku himself was unable to move due to being paralyzed under Stain's quirk. The thought was haunting, yet he couldn't help but think that it was true.

He simply felt inadequate. He felt as if he could have made a difference if he was stronger... worked harder, tried to take him out of it, even if it meant risking his own life. But it would only come back around; would Izumi have done the same thing sooner or later? Or perhaps it was the cause of circumstance of some kind that he couldn't fathom.

Inko had tried to do the same, to reach out to her son about his problems like any caring mother would for their child; but her words would always fell short due to the empty pieces that were missing from her memory. A blur of words that would fall from her mouth, though it didn't resonate within him, it couldn't. It wasn't as if he appreciated her efforts, but in truth, they meant little to him as much as it hurt him to say.

There was no way his brother would commit something so evil, could he? All those years of pain and suffering that he had helped him through; Izuku trusted him, and it was clear that Izumi did the same... at least, until now. There weren't any signs leading up to this, it just didn't make any sense! Sure, he was aware that his brother had a special disorder of sorts that occurred during heated and intense moments, especially in combat, which would have him tap into a more... inhuman side of his unconscious. Having experienced this firsthand when he would change his profile drastically when confronting villains, as well as the one instance where he came face to face with Kacchan would leave even the fearless sandy blond to stare at his dead amber eyes with fear as his shadow loomed over him.

It never came to the point where he'd want to injure someone so badly that they would succumb to the hands of death. Izumi was kind, incredibly so. Even if his desire to deliver justice to those that would commit injustice, he would never cross such a line. Even his attacks were specifically coordinated and structured so that it would effectively take out a foe without constant suffering.

Though then again, when he would gradually fall back into his persona of devilish glee in suffering, the screams of his victims were much more evident. Izuku knew how hard he trained to suppress that side of him, how much he hated what he would do to those he would face against. The freckled boy had come to experience a fair amount of times where his brother would shoot up with a cold sweat during the few instances where he would let his guard down to take a small nap. It had gotten much better since, though he would remember the times where a bloodcurdling scream of fear that would arise from his room every so often since their father's incident.

Izuku wanted to deny the fact that his brother was a murderer. He wasn't one who would take someone's life under any circumstances. He would have always said that people deserved a second chance, that was what prison was originally meant to be; and even if criminals would escape to only commit more mischief, heroes were there to stop them. That was something that had always stuck with him... yet perhaps that all changed.

However, there was the other alternative. One that could prove to either provide hope or perhaps only instill more fear into his heart. The possibility that he had fallen to the hands of another, whether it be capture... or death.

Izuku tossed his head frantically before his gaze settled back onto the poster that hung above his bed, yet his mind seemed to drift off elsewhere. His hands had clasped over his stomach, fiddling with his thumbs as he concentrated his thoughts.

No, that couldn't be. He didn't want to believe it.

He didn't want to think either of those situations proving true... he wanted that image of his perfect brother to persist.

But if that were so, what had happened then? What kind of circumstances were at play that would need him to do something of the sorts?

...

"Damn it..." Izuku muttered under his breath. His head had started to hurt form simply thinking about this whole ordeal, though all he could do to try and calm his nerves was to massage his temple as his mind continued to endlessly draw and try to connect loose ends. Unfortunately, doing so got him nowhere, which also earned him a stronger headache. Grumbling under his breath, he sat up into a seated position on top of his bed with his legs folded across each other, his eyes scanning the room.

He wanted to do something to take his mind off of his brother, knowing that brooding more than he already had wouldn't get him anywhere. There were books and manga laying about, most detailing adventures of both fiction and non fiction in their collection. Even if they offered entertainment for him in the past, there was no doubt that he had already read them multiple times. The dumbbells that lay at his feet were also an option, yet he couldn't bring himself to continue doing something that would do little to actually distract him; especially since the line of thought had broached from him exercising anyways.

Turning around to be greeted with his bedside window that offered a simple and plain view of the nearby area showered in daylight, a stark contrast from the night of that day. A night filled with blinding and thick smoke, the screams of civilians who hid and fled in terror of the monstrous threats that opposed the city and heroes... and most of all, the backstage incident that occurred behind the scenes and out of view.

There was a world of things for him to do out there. A world of opportunities that could help him out of the pit he had dug himself within, though Izuku couldn't bring himself to be able to escape his room. Whether it be in a vain attempt to escape reality, or perhaps he just didn't want to be hurt anymore, he didn't want to go out there, he didn't want to leave his place of solitude because he felt that he was weak. A room that he had convinced himself was a safe-room from the horrors of the outside world, a place where he was protected, yet deep within him, he knew that it was also a prison. Perhaps it was selfish of him, but he couldn't help but feel a little bit bitter that the media would stir up a storm of controversy surrounding the topic of the crime, all the while, people would just walk out there, care free from those that are really suffering... like him.

But of course, they didn't know Izumi like he did. They didn't know how kind he was, how caring he was of those he cared about. How much he sacrificed to keep those he loved safe, and even risked his life a great many times to save those who, despite strangers, called out for help. They didn't know anything about him, and to make it worse, they didn't care... but it hurt even more knowing that he was alone. His mother had forgotten everything about him, she couldn't even form the faintest recollection of her firstborn son. Izuku immediately knew that something was wrong the moment that one question would leave her mouth that night.

 _"Who's Izumi?"_

She would never joke about anything of the sort, even more so that she wouldn't try to do anything remotely cruel or unfeeling towards her two sons. She was too kind to pull any sort of pranks or cruel jokes on anyone, that was just the kind soul she was. It had only served to cause more questions to rise from the loose ends that would come to bite him in the end. What had happened during the time of their fieldwork training? Both Izuku and Izumi were unable to reach out to her during the period of their leave, and it was immediately concerning how the support of their mother would vanish soon after their leave.

Izuku shook his head in denial of the question, seemingly knowing the answer already with a shaky smile. Of course, she probably got injured or something of the sort. She appeared to have a dark bruise appear over the right side of her temple, so it was likely that she had fallen over and accidentally fell into unconsciousness. The emerald eyed boy's smile dropped as his intense gaze stared towards the ground in thought. Continuing the thought, if that were so, then why didn't she visit a doctor or go to the hospital before his arrival back home. Surely having a traumatic head injury would be enough cause to have herself checked up... With a hand raised to his chin, he shook his head again, countering the argument with another thought. It was possible that since she still had a grasp of the world she was in, as well as being able to recognize him when he had returned from his fieldwork training, that she could have brushed off the incident as nothing serious. Though there was the glaring contradiction that she had not replied to either Izumi or Izuku during the entire duration of their leave.

Propping his head on his arms, which had sat on top of his legs, Izuku's muffled sigh sounded within the room as his thoughts were consumed by the empty darkness that filled his vision. Shaking his head upon feeling the uncomfortable surge of anxiety at the prospect of even darker thoughts, Izuku could only curl into himself, bringing his legs closer to his chest and burying his face within the comfort of his knees.

"What am I doing?" He muttered to himself as thoughts continued to form within his mind but again, continue to lead to less than pleasing conclusions. Izuku continued to sit there for a good moment, though he soon found himself frustrated with his counterproductive methods. Nevertheless, it wasn't easy to just ignore the dark thoughts that would seep into the wellspring of his mind. Though like most people would in a secluded room, the emerald eyed boy sighed, stood up from the bed and began to pace back and forth within the confines of the room accessible to him.

As the brisk and undisturbed sound of his paced footsteps repeated in a routine manner, Izuku had held his hand up to his chin in thought, his other hand crossed over his side. His face contorted into one of focus, though there were instances where it morphed into ones of confusion, anger, sadness or was wiped blank. At the rate he was going at, there was little to actually distract Izuku from his momentum. He dared not to take a look outside his window as his concentration remained focused.

It was only when he would accidentally walk into the wall beside his desk that the young freckled hero would snap out of his moment of unrelenting thought. Blinking his emerald green eyes in surprise, he found himself bringing his hand up to his temple that had flashed a more surprising trace of pain rather than the actual depth and strength of the pain itself. Though his attention was soon brought to his state of balance as he began to stumble backwards from the unforeseen action that had caused him to reel back unexpectedly. "W-woah!" He panicked, his arms flailing about as he tried to steady himself, though unfortunately for him, it was all in vain as he ended up with his behind landing against the flooring with a hard _thud_.

Groaning at his misfortune, Izuku had scratched the back of his head sheepishly at the rather embarrassing moment. Though his thoughts were distracted as he noticed the soft wobbling near his bedside table. His eyes widened as he noticed a peculiar rectangular object begin to tip over the edge of the wooden table, though fortunately he was able to rush in and grab it in time. Izuku went wide eyed at the sheer speed and reaction he had enabled himself to catch the falling object, though as he looked to his hands, he saw the faint flicker of green electricity bound and coursing around his skin before vanishing soon after it appeared.

While he was impressed that he was able to use his powers to such an extent, he figured it was something purely based on instincts. Though as he continued to think on it, a small soft smile spread across his face. He knew that his training had begun to pay off. It was then that he actually took a good look at the rescued object, though doing so had stopped any further thought on any other matter.

Within the rectangular wooden object was a picture sealed inside a frame. Of course, it held the capture of Izuku and his brother taking a picture with each other inside a local park. The day it was taken didn't have any particular meaning, nor did it celebrate a particular event. No, it was simply a simple outing on a simple day, it was just the two of them... but they smiled in each other's company. His grip on the frame had tightened, though there were no tears lost, only a look of pensive sadness had overwhelmed his emerald orbs. Once again, the memory of his brother would continue to cause him undue stress... though it was not of his own volition, nor was it his fault... or perhaps it was. He didn't know what had went on inside his brother's mind that night, but thinking about what he had done would only tear him apart. Despite that, he couldn't bring himself to want to damage it in any way, so he simply walked back over to his nighttime stand to place it back in it's rightful place.

A soft clack sounded over the tabletop of the stand as the freckled boy propped it back up in it's rightful place. Though upon taking a moment to stare upon it, a sudden urge made him reach out and turn it around from his view. As his hand had retreated away from the frame, he had failed to notice the increased pace to his breathing. Blinking a few times, he tilted his head in confusion of what he had done. Staring at his hand before returning his gaze back to the frame, he slowly moved to turn it back... but two other glinting objects had taken his attention a few inches beyond the turned wood. Taking a step closer, his two arms had reached out to grab the new frames.

Taking a look at the first frame he had grabbed, a small smile had appeared over his face. It had held a group photo of the entirety of Class 1-A, including both Aizawa sensei and All Might. Of which the disheveled raven haired man -who had become known as their homeroom teacher- had taken to standing far to the right of the photo, a bored and disinterested look on his face, seemingly not caring to "look good" for the photo. On the other hand, the number one hero: All Might, had taken to standing proudly behind the class. His large and muscular posture had easily overshadowed the class as he towered over the students, though they all seemed to smile as his large arms were spread wide over them in a proud fashion. While the hero's smile had brought on a small curl to his lips, Izuku couldn't help but lower his head with a frown.

He was in a state that he had found hard to bring himself out of this pit alone, yet he did little to actually reach out for help. He too had yet to reach out to All Might about the topic of his brother. Though he knew that he would be pretty busy with the case already, as he was the type of man to shoulder everyone's burdens. Especially that of his young apprentice and pupil. Even if he did reach out to his mentor, perhaps he could provide words of comfort for him; yet that was all that those were, words.

...

But perhaps those words, no matter how much impact they have on him would be the best way to start.

With a sigh, Izuku moved to sit on the side of his bed, a look of contemplation concerning his face. His emerald eyes drifted downwards towards the rest of his class, taking note of his closest friends standing nearby him. Iida, Uraraka, and now Todoroki... Before, one of the only people Izuku could always find himself relying on was his brother... but he had yet to fully realize the people that had taken their place around him. They were his friends, weren't they? All of them had already entrusted some detail of their lives and problems to the forest haired boy... yet he came to realize that he had yet to do the same. Perhaps he was so focused on trying to achieve his goals, the standards All Might had set for him, that he had forgotten about himself.

He was a self destructive person, though the topic was something that Izuku would always disregard by waving it off, excusing his actions by saying that it was for the good of saving the people around him. It was even something that Izumi had brought up from time to time, showing concern of the mindless use of his quirk, or at least how he would shrug off any sort of restraint whenever something arose. Many of those close to him would share the same sentiments... though he wouldn't take as much criticism from them as he did his own brother.

But now... maybe now... he could try to rely on them, as they did for him.

A soft hum escaped though Izuku's throat as he continued to stare at the faces of his friends. Friends were something that Izuku hadn't had the privilege of having since the age of four. He would have always stuck by Bakugo's side when the two were young, and though there would always be others in the neighborhood that would join them on their little adventures, he would always have thought himself closest with Bakugo. He would always be referred to the "hero nerd" of the group due to his obsession with the society that he would become a part of, though it wasn't as if everybody didn't have similar feelings towards wanting to save the day in the end.

Though once the day came where he would be diagnosed with quirklessness, everyone left him one by one. Bakugo was the first to leave his side, scoffing that a loser would try to stick by his side when he had nothing to offer. He drifted apart from social communication with those around his age as he could only resort to visiting blog sites to convene and converse with other anonymous hero fanatics like himself... though that was all that they could be to him, anonymous. They had no face to show the world, nor would they really be interested in being a friend. All they would want to discuss about was heroes and quirks... they didn't want the loser kid who sat behind the screen.

At least, that's what he thought.

But now, he had people that trusted him with their problems. He had people who wanted to be around him, to be called his friend. He was a lot more popular in his social group, not to mention that he would be called one of the top students of the class. He was given the life saving opportunity of a second chance in life by his favored idol, All Might... yet he would always find himself asking. Did he really change? In his mind, he was still the same little kid. He had little to no way with having a conversation without slipping into his old habits, as well as stuttering at a few occasions. Izuku knew that he had started to develop his own confidence in the face of adversity... though was it really by his own accord? That was something that would keep to his mind, no matter what All Might, or Izumi would tell him otherwise.

But with those friends, he knew that he could never reveal what would eat at his own heart. Because the heart of his problems... while it was what he would have believed was his second chance, was also a burden. A burden that he would not dare break it's spell over those he would consider his friends. All Might had given a fair warning as to the possible consequences that would entail releasing the details of One for All. Izumi had also agreed, knowing that it would possibly endanger those close to him as villains would try to get their hands on such a powerful quirk if word was to slip out.

In turn, the only one had had slipped his mouth to was Bakugo. Though despite him giving a very vague answer or sorts in an attempt to cheer him out, he knew that he made a mistake in doing so. While All Might seemed reluctant to let it go, there was little to stop him from knowing in the near future. Bakugo was smart, incredibly so. He would always come to conclusions one way or another, not to mention that he was the kind of person to strive towards their goals, and eliminate any obstacles in the way with an unstoppable force.

So he would have to be careful... he didn't want his friend to get hurt either.

Izuku's gaze shifted to the other wooden frame held in his hand. It was smaller than the group photo that his class had took, though it contained something that he felt was just as important. It was a small photo of Izuku standing with his brother and the big three standing around the two. The five of them had worn casual clothing for a small outing that the five of them had went on in the early stages of the school year on a weekend. What exactly the outing was for, he couldn't remember. It wasn't really anything too important as Izuku was pretty sure that the day was spent with the intention of just enjoying themselves.

He smiled, looking at the completed smiles of the three that stood near the two brothers. While the three seemed to have a range and sometimes contrasting personalities, Izuku could tell from just a glance how close the three were. Not to mention that Izumi felt comfortable around them as well as the three had exuded a natural charm that drew others to them... well, except for Tamaki. No offence to him, but he isn't what people call a social butterfly. Though that wasn't to say that the two weren't good friends at the least. Even during some of their visits or days out, the two would be able to make some small or sometimes lengthy chats depending on what kind of topics that they could think of. Even if Tamaki was socially inept at many times, he offered a lot of input when given a question that he can answer comfortably. Izuku as well, would be able to answer the older boy's rare queries with a smile on his face.

They often liked to talk about those that had inspired them, of which would become two resident beams of light of the world. Both figuratively and in a literal sense since the two people they often discussed about shared so many similarities. It occasionally made the freckled boy wonder if Togata was actually All Might's secret love child, as Todoroki had proposed to him before, though with Izuku being the main topic of that suspect rather than Togata.

Nevertheless, to the other three of the usual party, it wasn't too surprising that the two would be able to become comfortable in each other's presence. Being that the two were labelled as shy characters, though their own definitions of the term had differed to different circumstances. Nevertheless, the two had found comfort in each other's similarities to their own.

Togata, the assumed leader of the group had worn a bright smile that reminded him of that of All Might. He himself had told Izuku how much the number one hero had inspired him, as well as his aspirations to become the number one hero. In much a similar fashion, Izuku talked about his quite similar aspirations, which only made the cowlick blond laugh heartily and pat him on the back, encouraging him to push forward. He had even offered to help him out with some new workout regimens that would help him improve his physique as Togata himself utilizes a heavy concentration in combat proficiency and flexibility, meaning that he had to keep his body in prime condition, much in the same way as Izuku.

The three were very supportive of his own aspirations, though they did say that they wouldn't go easy on him just because he was Izumi's brother. Nevertheless, whenever the three would come around, it would always be spent in good company. Izuku would always be fascinated by the stories told by the three in their own experiences of working under a pro hero. In fact, the freckled haired boy was astounded to find out that Togata was actually working under All Might's former sidekick, Nighteye.

It was surprising to find that the fact that the number one hero himself actually took on a sidekick had fallen out of sight form his radar. It seemed that it wasn't widely known that the man had such a relation to the blond superhero. Though, when he had brought it up to his mentor, he was more than reluctant to tell the story of their tale. It had bothered him why as it would be that way, though the man had promised to tell him one day.

In spite of the reminiscent memories of their gatherings, his gaze had drifted towards the cheery bluenette that stood right behind Izumi. Her head propped up on his shoulder and her arms wrapped around his neck. Watching the camera with a wide and bright smile on her face.

Nejire...

Izuku's eyes widened in surprise of a foreboding realization. He couldn't help but try to swallow the lump that formed within his throat as his gaze turned downcast and his grip on the frame tightened. Out of the group renown as the top students in hero academics across the entirety of Yuuei, the wavy haired girl was the one that the forest haired boy was the most closest to. This was due to her being a recurring character in his life since the last year or two and so, due to her connection with Izumi. She would be the one to stop by more than anyone else in the household other than the occupants themselves, while the other two of the big three were less present. Of course, it made sense. Nejire had lived alone inside a studio apartment somewhere in the heart of Tokyo, and being the talkative and cheery girl she was, it wouldn't be too far of a stretch to think that she would enjoy company, especially that of those close to her.

Whenever they would watch shows together or simply chat about what was on the news, the two would end up talking for hours. Simply put, Izuku's random mumbles and Nejire's ability to curiously string one thing to another made wonders for conversations between the two. That was also to say that Nejire's span of knowledge was quite large, at least in categories that she had taken a particular interest in, such as the scientific reasoning behind quirks as well as other subjects like physics or languages and culture. Though that was to also say that she struggled a bit in the departments of mathematics and other topics that would bore her. Nevertheless, she was indeed very clever, not to mention that she was at least coherent in all the necessary skills to pass all her classes.

But after all of that, she would have gone the extra mile to ask him how he was holding up, or how he was doing in school. Apart from Izumi and Inko, Izuku didn't have many people to be able to open up to about his own problems. While Izumi would ask him that frequently, Izuku felt a lot more comfortable letting his emotions spill around her, at least, he had less reserve when it came to the cheery girl. She had a sort of charisma that let people be truthful with her and she wouldn't judge. Especially considering the heavy burden that had weighted upon his brother, Izuku was thankful that she proved to be such a refresher for their family, almost as if she was a big sister to him. She was caring and kind, patient with people yet energetic in her own right.

But he felt his stomach churn upon realizing that he had completely forgotten the blue haired girl in the midst of his own depression. He knew how much love was put into the relationship between her and his brother, and to find that their love was reciprocated, he saw how their faces would light up with joy upon finding the other in their sights. The two were close, extremely so. Togata and Tamaki had explained to him that they could see the sparks fly whenever the two were around each other, how they could see the instant connection spark when Nejire had introduced him to the two despite knowing that the two had just met. They cared about each other to a great extent that they'd be willing to sacrifice everything for the other.

But now... he seemed to have disappeared from the face of the earth, leaving a trail of ruin before any trace of him vanished. In the dust of his trails left his family and friends behind without as much of a goodbye, though Izuku knew that there was more than a chance that he couldn't.

After all, what he had left behind for the world to see was... unsettling, to put it lightly.

The emerald eyed boy shut his eyelids and shook his head, bringing a hand up to his temple as he breathed softly. Considering all that he had done these past few days, it only made Izuku wonder. If he were in such a state, than he could only imagine how Nejire would feel right now.

"I hope she isn't being as hard to deal with as I am..." Izuku murmured to himself, thinking idly before shaking his head to wake him form his dazed like state. "I'm sure she has Togata and Tamaki senpai to talk to..." He reasoned with a small smile. Before Izumi had even come to meet the three, he would say that he'd often spot those three hanging around each other. It was certainly an odd sight considering the different personality types that would be included in their little group, but it worked. Izuku's gaze returned back to his phone, which lay untouched on his studying desk. The forest haired boy began to ponder on whether or not he should carry out with making a call to her. Even if she may have help dealing with Izumi's disappearance, he certainly didn't feel great.

Izuku sat there on the edge of his bed, continuing to stare at the object far away, lying on top of the wooden surface of his table. It had since run silent, no new notifications, no texts, at least that's what he could only assume. Maybe the battery died, he didn't know. It has been about a day or two since he had even touched the thing, considering the fact that most of his time was spent brooding or taking his mind off his brooding with exercise. He had done little to actually communicate those close to him, no doubt that they'd be worried for him or perhaps his health.

Deciding to take the first step forward, he did just that. Rising from the bed, he tread towards the table to the point where his hand hovered over the rectangular object. Countless arguments had occurred within his mind, choosing between whether or not he should actually try to reach out for help, or continue to not bother anyone with his problems. While the latter felt like a compelling option to him, Izuku knew that he wasn't helping anybody with how depressed he was... especially his mother.

His fist clenched over the reflective black screen. All he had to do was take the next step with care, it was all for the sake of helping others... if not for himself, right? Inko didn't deserve to have to deal with such a troublesome child like him, especially when she herself was troubled in a great regard and he wasn't there to help much as he was too distracted by his own web of problems. He had the responsibility to pick himself back up and do something about it, she at least deserved that much. It was now or never. With a new resolve, he reached out and curled his fingers around the cool surface of his phone, bringing it closer to him to grant a better view.

He continued to think of his friends and what they would think. No doubt that Iida would scold him for trying to take everything on himself... He remembered the little talk they had in the hospital. Since Izuku had much less severe injuries than the spectacled bluenette, the forest haired boy was allowed to leave much sooner, while Iida remained in bed with casts and bandages over his body. The incident with stain would remind him of something similar to his case with his own brother, and though Izuku hadn't learned of what became of Stain until after their little talk when Naomasa requested that he come with him, Izuku could remember him spilling his regrets over his actions.

His words spoke of a man who had known that his actions were foolish, as well as his advising words to not follow the same path... to reach out for help. Izuku sighed with a closed eyed smile; it seems that the conversation had slipped his mind these past few days, or else this would have been a lot easier. He knew how painful it would be to find someone that you looked up to battered and bruised beyond any seeming repair. While their reactions may differ due to the circumstance, the anger and sadness was still there. While Iida's actions were certainly spontaneous, Izuku could certainly understand his pain... and now, he felt quite the same.

It made him idly wonder if he had gotten any texts from his friends, especially since losing contact since that day. A small smile made it's way to his face as he chuckled in amusement, knowing better. Of course they would, especially Iida. His friends weren't the type of people to give up on someone so easily, especially considering how close they had grown over the first term of the semester. Perhaps it was silly of him to think that he would be alone on this. It was only a start, but hopefully it would end well.

His thumb had wandered over to the power button that protruded slightly from the side, seeing that nothing else would stop him from proceeding, he pressed it.

 _Click..._

Nothing happened. The screen had remained blank despite his attempt. Izuku tilted his head in confusion before trying again.

 _Click, click..._

In response to the queries that had started to form on his mind, the phone had flashed a small warning sign signalling that it had no battery.

"Ah... the battery's flat." He mumbled to himself, seemingly dumbfounded.

Izuku stayed there, silent for a moment before bursting out in a fit of laughter. To think that after all that time psyching himself up, he would fall short just because his battery died. As Izuku wiped a few stray tears from his face, his giggled had died down to be replaced by silence. Unlike before, the air within the room didn't feel so melancholic to him, it felt so much fresher that he found that he could actually breathe easy. With his phone in hand, the forest haired boy settled for watching the soft reflection that stared back at him from within the pane of glass, though he had noticed the smile that had adorned his impersonator's face. Reaching up to touch the edge of his lips, he too could feel the slight upwards curve that was painted over his lips.

Chuckling to himself quietly, he walked over to his bedside stand to plug the charger in his phone. Relief showed over his face as the phone had glowed a soft light from the screen, though it appeared that it needed time to recharge... though perhaps he didn't need it at the moment. Smiling to himself, he had resolved to start healing his relationships. No doubt that they were waiting for him... and first of all, his mother would need him the most.

So that was where he was going to start.

Though before he was able to head out to do what he had planned, a series of knocks had echoed throughout the room. Izuku's head snapped towards his door, seeing that the origin of the sound had come from the large panel of wood. Before he was given any time to respond, the forest haired boy could hear the muffled voice of his mother call out to him from the other side.

"Izuku?" She had asked, knowing that he was in there, though her voice was toned down as to not disturb him of he so happened to be asleep, but was loud enough for him to not ignore if he was awake. Honestly, he didn't find it too surprising that the short woman would be calling out to him from behind his door. During his moments of being stuck in a pit had caused for her to shamefully hide away from behind cover in the case of Izuku's unwillingness to meet her face to face.

It wasn't as if Izuku didn't want to look at her, though when he did, he could see the look of suffering and sadness appear across her face before hiding under a mask of concern as soon as he looked up to her. It was painful to look at, to see his mother frown so sadly. He knew that he would become the cause that became his mother's suffering, though as much as he tried to reassure her that she wasn't a burden to him; rather, he felt as if he was a burden to her, though the awkward silence that would ensue after those conversations would leave them to both assume the worst. Especially since neither of them had yet to gain the courage to tell the other about what was on their mind, despite that they knew they were holding themselves back.

Izuku opened his mouth to respond, though stopped himself short from doing so. He couldn't answer like that. He knew that his previous conversations would just play out the same way if he were to respond in the same kind of fashion. If he were to unconsciously back out now... no, there was no time to think about it. This time, he had a resolve to make it different, to make dues for his inexcusable behavior, nor did he spend any time hesitating. With a determined exhale through his nose, he quickly marched towards the door and gripped his hand on the doorknob.

Pulling the door gently away from it's frame, Izuku stood backwards to allow for his entire body to be shown through the gap he had made. Being greeted with his mother's look of surprise as the light from his room had shone a soft glow on the woman in the relatively hushed corridor, he smiled warmly with a firm yet comforting gaze. His focus on her seemed to be so apparent that he didn't seem to notice the distant noise of chatter in the background.

"Yeah?" He answered kindly with a warm and bright smile, causing the woman to stare at her son in a moment of bewilderment. While her face was stuck on the standard wide and blank look of surprise, underneath her emerald green orbs, there was immense joy. Blinking out of her slight trance upon seeing Izuku's smile frown into one more concerned at her silence, she smiled joyously as her expression lightened from that which she had worn upon walking down the hallway initially.

"Ah, Izuku! You're awake, that's good!" Inko said, her words seemingly still at a loss for his appearance. It was understandable, she hadn't seen him meet her face to face from behind the door at all since the last few days. Of course, now that he was, it was certainly unexpected to find such a change in his demeanor. To see him smile, it meant the whole world to her that he would continue to do so, and whatever had happened during his time of wallowing in doubt, she wouldn't press it. While she would most certainly ask, it was enough to see her son smile again.

"Mhm, was there something you needed of me?" Izuku asked, his expression softening after the little moment of worry after the moment of her brief unresponsiveness. Inko nodded with a bright smile on her face as she moved to grab Izuku's hands in her own. Her warm and comforting hands had enveloped his, though it certainly wasn't unwelcome. Though he didn't have time to linger in it's comfort as Inko moved forward, her eyes practically shining with an unrestrained excitement, knowing that the tension between their relationship had lessened, if only a little.

But that would soon become a thing of the past.

"Come to the living room, I have something that I want to show you." She said hurriedly with a tone of unparalleled levels of excitement before scurrying down the hallway. Izuku was left there dumbfounded as he could only watch his mother's figure disappear at the end of the corridor as she rounded the corner. He could hear Inko's voice talk in a muffled yet panicked manner, though the forest haired boy could only stand there silent as he pondered what his mother had meant.

It had come to note that he had been standing there for quite a while. Shaking his head to clear all of the questions that had brainstormed within his mind, if just for a moment. Izuku simply smiled to himself, seeing his mother smile as well. And he knew that it was a genuine one.

Taking a small glance back towards his room, he didn't find anything that he was previously occupying earlier, nor were there any leftover tasks that needed to be handled with before his mother had called out to him. His phone was plugged in to charge and everything was neatly organized as it should be. Nodding to himself, he proceeded to silently close the door behind him to help out with whatever his mother needed of him. As the general atmosphere of his vision had dimmed slightly since the light of the hallway had a less pronounced effect than the natural sunlight of the late afternoon. Though it provided a gentle and kind light, it was more than enough for him to proceed forward as he pursued towards the end of the path.

Izuku hummed happily as he marched onwards, his heart and mind devoid of any negative thoughts. How could he, after his mother's moment of weird and unexplained excitement. There was little for him to believe that it would result in something negative in regards to his feelings... though he couldn't say the same if it had some thin threat of a connection to his brother. The smile on Izuku's lips dampened a bit at the thought, he couldn't help but divulge in the line of thought as much as he didn't want to.

He was still worried, there was no doubt about that; his feelings would still remain persistent for quite a while as long as these unanswered questions that lingered within the deepest pits of his mind. It wasn't going to be something that he would forget, he couldn't forget what Izumi had meant to him, he couldn't betray him like that.

... but that didn't remove the fact that he was missing.

No, he already made a start. He couldn't let himself be held back again to find a better life, it was for his mother... and for himself. Things may have been tough these past few days, and their relationship had become considerably strained. Though despite it all, he knew that things would be able to turn for the better. And it would only start to blossom, if it was met with a start on his end.

Finally being met with the door that would lead to the common space of the apartment. Of which he would likely be met with the image of his mother found somewhere across the other half of his home. It was quiet on the other side, though Izuku had simply believed that it was only because his mother would be waiting for him patiently as to whatever she needed him for, not putting much thought into it as he proceeded.

If that were so, then he had no reason to keep her waiting.

"Mom, what's-" Izuku had said upon opening the door, but had stopped himself short as he found himself suddenly surrounded by a wave of people crowding around him along with a chorus of voices lighting up the apartment with cheers.

"Happy birthday!" A whole crowd of people he recognized as his friends had cheered, using various party poppers to shower over the shocked boy as he could only stare in shock and awe at the various decorations that lined the entire apartment room. He was able to recognize the people that had crowded around him were the people that he felt the most familiar with. Iida, Uraraka, Tsuyu and even Todoroki was present here, giving him a bright and wide smile in congratulations. Though they weren't the only ones of their class to join as others such as Tokoyami, Aoyama, Ojiro and Kaminari were also present beside them. He was also able to spot his brother's group of friends standing over them happily, giving them their wishes with bright smiles as well.

"W-w-wha-" The freckled haired boy widened his eyes in confusion as he shuffled back at the sudden flood of people rushing into his vision.

Inko quickly shuffled back towards him after disappearing into the crowd for a moment to only appear once again with the crowd parted as she walked forwards with a delicious looking cake in hand. On top of it were two lit candles that had labelled the number 16. Which was the age he had officially grown up to as of today. Making her way, right in front of her son, she looked up at him and smiled brightly with one of the brightest smiles that she could muster.

"Happy birthday, honey!" Inko said happily, while everyone else cheered loudly as the ceremony had officially begun.

Izuku was at a loss of words as he stared at the delicious gift before him, though it wasn't long before his eyes grey misty, tears trailing down his face happily as he could only provide a shaky smile in return. His hand was placed over his mouth, though it slipped away as he lifted his head up to meet his mother's gaze. "Mom... thank you." He said through hoarse breaths, along with a few sniffles mid sentence as he continued to mutter his continuous words of thanks. It was true, he had forgotten completely about the event of his birth. With all that had been going on around him along with his constant nights filled with distractions and troubles, he found little time to think of his own life.

Inko nodded and quickly yet carefully placed the cake down on the table beside her before opening her arms wide and enveloping her son in a loving embrace. She smiled knowingly how Izuku had gone through a great deal of food for thought, even if the subject was beyond her comprehension. Along with that, birthdays weren't something that Izuku had always looked forward to. While he wasn't against the celebration or anything of the sort, he wasn't the kind to want unless he had earned it with his own hard work. Not to mention that being a hero had taken his mind off of things, though Inko was forever grateful that he would always remember her.

But now, he needed something to cheer him up. He had fallen down a pit that he had struggled to get out of with his own accord, but it was the least Inko could do to help her child become the bright and cheerful boy he once was.

Rubbing circles around his back, his friends had gathered around him with concerned smiles on their faces as they offered their own words and back rubs of comfort; though he was able to stand right back up to look back at everyone with a grateful smile. "Haha, I completely forgot. I'm sorry you guys had to go through the trouble of coming." He admitted sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. Iida had stepped out form beside him to face the freckled boy with a concerned expression. "Nonsense! But Midoriya kun, don't tell me you forgot about your own birthday?!" The bluenette exclaimed in surprise, making wild gestures with his hands to express his admitted surprise. Izuku could see the cloth of gauze wrapped around his arms, of which seemed stiff and slightly uncomfortable, though at least they seemed to be progressing well towards recovery, and that was something Izuku was glad for.

The forest haired boy smiled towards his friend, shrugging in response to his query. "I... suppose I did." Izuku said lamely, laughing awkwardly. Uraraka also joined in beside the tall student with her mouth agape. "Wow, really? I'm surprised that you forgot about your own birthday, Deku kun!" The brunette said curiously. Many others such as Tsuyu, Ojiro and Kaminari had expressed their own concerns for the boy, though Izuku could only try to wave them off. Though after a moment's worth of hesitation, he averted his eyes in an attempt to hide the shadow that was cast over them as he rubbed his arm weakly.

"I just didn't really think it was that important..." He said with a sad smile, though he continued in spite of his friends' frowns. "Though I hope you can't blame me, these last few days have been... rough." He said softly, lifting his head up with a closed eyed smile in response to their surprised gazes. His classmates could only look to each other, each coming to a realization of understanding. It was no surprise that the incident Izumi had caused had become viral quickly in spite of the government's attempts at covering it up. Especially with the mysterious images of the crime scene and even the video of the deed itself had spread like wildfire across Japan, and perhaps had even spread to other continents around the globe; though Izuku had sincerely hoped that it wasn't the case.

Though his eyes opened back up as he stared at his friends curiously. "But I'm surprised you guys came! I don't even recall sending any sort of invitation, nor did I give any of your guy's phone numbers to mom, or maybe she went out to the school to ask, but then again, it's unlikely that she would do something like that without asking me first, but then again, this whole birthday was a surprise for me as well, so perhaps that is a possibility, but-" Izuku continued to mutter continuously, of which caused the normal reaction to rise from his classmates. Only being able to just stare and look at each other awkwardly.

Iida and Uraraka especially took a glance at each other. They wanted to say that they were the ones that were responsible for bringing everyone here, though in truth, they were only the messengers.

"That's because I invited them!" A cheery voice called out from the back lines of the crowd. The students of class 1-A turned around to find Nejire smiling in her usual exuberant and cheery manner, along with having her hand raised as to be brought forth as the suspect. Togata and Tamaki stood beside her, though Togata had placed his hands on his hips with the same smiling expression stuck to his face while Tamaki looked away from everyone turning their attention to them. Izuku could swear that he even saw the senior student shake a little as he tried to hide behind Togata, which wasn't too difficult considering the student's tall and muscular frame being much bigger than the pointed eared boy's own skinny yet lean posture.

Izuku raised his eyebrow towards the bluenette as she let her hand fall back to her side and walking forward to join the group.

"Nejire senpai?" The emerald eyed boy asked curiously as he stared at her in wonder. The slightly taller bluenette giggled in response before turning her head towards Uraraka, who had taken a place beside her and gave Izuku a small nod with a smile.

"Mhm, that's right. Senpai had messaged me earlier that it was going to be your birthday today, Deku kun!" She said, bouncing on the balls of her feet with a small hum and an innocent smile. Tsuyu ribbited in response and nodded alongside her friend, executing her common habit of tipping her finger along the edge of her mouth in thought. "To be fair, we only received the notice around yesterday afternoon, so it was lucky that we have school off or else we might not have been able to get presents in time." She pondered aloud, causing Izuku to go wide eyed and bow deeply in repetition as an apology, though Tsuyu only smiled and said that it was alright.

"Oh my, you guys brought presents?... You didn't have to." Izuku smile apologetically, though the longer he thought about it, a question was brought forth within his mind. With a hand on his chin, he looked towards the rosy cheeked brunette with a curious stare. "But I'm curious... why did she have your number, Uraraka san?" He asked her, to which Nejire responded almost immediately with a sparkle in her eyes that Izuku felt the need to be wary of.

"Oh, that's because Izumi sent me it, knowing how much of a huge cru-"

"A good friend she is to you!" The bluenette's speech was cut off by Togata placing a firm hand on top of her mouth, knowing full well what she was going to say. Of which, caused the girl to try and speak her muffled complaints as she struggled to get his hand off. Tamaki in the mean while tried to get her to calm down while the cowlick blonde immediately picked up on where she left off. Izuku raised his brow suspiciously, though his face began to heat up once he realized what Nejire was going to say.

"O-ah... I-i see..." He stuttered out, obviously embarrassed by having his secret nearly exposed to all of his classmates, and especially the rosy cheeked brunette. In fact, Uraraka tilted her head curiously at him. "Is there something wrong, deku?" She said, thankfully, seemingly oblivious to what Nejire was about to say. Though Iida, Todoroki and Tsuyu seemed to pick up on what the bluenette said but said nothing, treasuring their friendship with the forest haired boy. Izuku widened his eyes in surprise as he frantically waved his hands back and forth with a red face in an attempt to hide his blush and prevent a nervous breakdown.

"No! No, no! Everything's fine! Ahahaha..." He laughed awkwardly before sending Togata and Tamaki a look pleading for help. Of which the two turned to look at each other and nod. Turning to look at everyone, the tall senior student clapped his hands to gain everyone's attention. As they all turned towards him, he smiled before standing aside to reveal all of the trays and dishes set on the table.

"Well, moving on from that, I think it's best that we get underway, shall we?" He said enthusiastically while Tamaki nodded beside him in the sidelines, still uncomfortable with having partial focus of the people placed upon him, but as a hero he was still willing to help someone in a dire time of need.

As everyone had taken a look at the various items available, it wasn't long before they all let loose a chorus of cheers in agreement.

"Thanks for the food!"

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Welp, this is about the first half this event. Trust me, if I tried to finish the rest, it's probably take as long as when I tried to do the Stain chapter. (and considering it's nearly been 2 weeks since I updated, I didn't want to hold this up for too long. After the next chapter, we'll get into some more original content since the next arc is the first term final exam since that's something that will probably remain the same.**

 **(Also, there will be a lot to do with Izuku's relationship with Uraraka and Bakugo in the next chapter, so I hope you guys will be excited for that.)**

 **Trust me, if I could have posted this on the 15th of July, I would have. Unfortunately, that's about... hmm, five months away? Yeah, that'd be way too long to do that.**

 **I hope the first segment isn't too bad. When I was writing the Izuku segment at the start, I had gone full in on writing on some of his doubts, though slowly I also doubted how well what he had thought would be spread to you guys. I myself got a bit confused midway through on deciding what was actually the source of his problems. Anyways, I'd consider it just practice, but if any of you have any criticism towards it, I'd love to hear it. Stuff like this will be important to learn as a writer, so I hope that segments like that it'll be better in the future and hopefully have a more impactful and emotional nature.**

 **Anyways, I'll be trying to do a chapter for my other story that I'm currently working on... But I'll probably also work on the next chapter for this story as well since I already have a pretty good outline for what is going to happen**

 **Anyways, thanks for reading!**

 **Ignis**


	24. Support

**Author's Notes:**

 **Well, it's been about two months now, huh?**

 **Hey guys, I have an important notice at the bottom, so I'd appreciate it if you read it. (mostly just concerns changing my schedules and how disorganized my life is right now as a student)**

 **-Post edit-**

 **If you're reading this, then I wanted to mention a simple yet big change in the story from when you guys probably last read this (or if you're new, it might as well be a recap if you're lost) - So, pretty much, I decided that it won't be ruled officially that Izumi is guilty but remains a mystery to the public. I won't go onto as to what this entails, but feel free to think about it if you wish. Everything will be defined later on anyways.**

 **It just feels much more free-er and make the dialogue appear to make more sense if this possibility were to open up rather than just saying straight up that he is the killer. (also the idea of adding the footage is wack so I just cut it out)**

 **Anyways, I'm just sumarising this so you guys don't have to reread the changes from chapter 21 onwards. But if you want to, feel free. Just know that it's probably not completely necessary.**

 **Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

As the late afternoon set in, the party had already gone well underway. The glowing orange sun began to set over the cityscape as people would make their way through the whittling streets of the city back to their homes. But to those that would live near the Midoriyas, they would be in for quite a lot of noise and chatter from the door that would usually be so quiet and soft spoken. Though today was an acceptable occasion as a loud collective cheer had rung out from the large complex before the feast would begin.

Within the duration of his party's beginnings, Izuku would become subject to attention, which would allow him to have a small and brief yet much enjoyed chat with a few of his classmates who were able to attend his party. Each of his friends would present him with a gift that spoke volumes about their own personality, but it made him glad that they cared to come in the first place.

Though in spite of this, being the star of the occasion he wouldn't have much time to be able to eat his own food. At least he would at least try to keep his stomach from growling it's protests once things had settled down.

Izuku wasn't one to be able to handle talking to multiple people at a time due to how easily overwhelmed he could be under social pressure. Nonetheless, he made the effort to meet with each of his friends and attendants, of which he would bow once more and thank them in a profuse manner, but had been able to hold himself back from making the atmosphere uncomfortable.

Most birthday parties his family had held were usually in the company of just the three of them. It was simply how they liked to spend their time celebrating the anniversary of their births, yet at times, it would come as a private moment to be spent in remembrance of what they had lost. However, being given a gift by those that now surrounded him gave him a different feeling than when he would receive presents from his mother or brother. But in a similar fashion, it had given him an overwhelming sense of happiness and gratitude.

To say that the class was concerned for their classmate was an understatement. All of them were aware of what would have become of that night when they would all be taken in for questioning. The news that his brother, a hero, had gone rogue had spread around Japan like wildfire and would become witness to everybody. Izuku was a bright kid and he was friendly and kind to all of them, even if he was a bit socially awkward with those he had hardly talked to, yet they knew that he was a good person at heart.

The incident would hit him hard. Both Todoroki and Iida were present when Izuku was discharged from the hospital, only to have a black SUV waiting outside for him with Naomasa at the drivers seat. None of them knew of what had truly transpired when they had fled the fight to gather reinforcements to deal with Stain, though it appeared that they arrived too late.

The trail held in judging the senior year Yuuei student couldn't reach a conclusion... yet in spite of that, most present would agree that Izumi was the guilty party. Most available evidence gathered at the scene had pointed towards Izumi proving responsible for Stain's death, though the three Yuuei students would object to any of the prosecution's claims knowing personally how much of a good person Izuku's brother was. Yet despite the past experiences they shared with him, they couldn't help but feel a small tug at the back of their heads, not ruling out the possibility that Izumi was truly responsible, but held onto the hope that he wasn't the one who had culled the hero killer. While the trial seemed to lag on forever, the final ruling had been put on hold until more evidence would arise, as well as the absence of the suspect complicating things further and a verdict couldn't be acted upon. But the audience and all those that would watch would agree that Izumi was the culprit and would have to resign himself into being labelled a Villain.

The two boys would see the visible restraint Izuku would hold himself to as he sat there in the gallery. His eyes were furrowed and his fists clenched to the point where his knuckles would turn bone white. His face seemed pale and drained of all color as the murmurs and whispers erupted from the gallery. He wanted to scream at them, to deny everything word that droned out of their mouth like robots. Iida and Todoroki would also partake in a similar thought, yet there was nothing that the two could say that would help him. Iida had certainly made an effort to talk to him, but Todoroki knew that such a loss would take time for him to recover from... and it did.

Nonetheless, Izuku definitely showed signs of progress towards becoming back to his usual self and had helped him quite a bit from his little slump. His friends were certainly happy to see the freckled boy speak happily with him about some recent developments within the school. It wouldn't be long now before they would be required to attend once again, but that certainly wouldn't be a bad thing. He probably needed something to distract him from all of these negative thoughts that would eat away at him at every moment he would be given time to think. Even All Might stopped by their apartment to come visit briefly, but unfortunately was required to return back to work shortly after due to his schedule being so tightly packed with the recent as well as upcoming events. Nevertheless, he had given his pupil a sincere congratulation and a hug, as well as giving him a small present, which was more than enough to bring a bright smile and tears to run down his cheeks.

It wasn't long before the freckled boy would find himself standing in the middle of the living room with a plate filled with food in his hands and everyone around him absorbed in chatter. Most of his class had taken to talking amongst each other regarding different kinds of topics, while some were still having their face full with food or sitting quietly in the corner.

Izuku himself had just had a talk with Tokoyami, seeing as he would sit and watch in the corner being the mysterious boy he was. He would be usually found wearing a matching set of black clothes, including a simple and plain hoodie with jeans for a standard outing. The two were on quite friendly terms ever since the sports festival, especially after the events that would transpire during the cavalry section of the tournament. It was certainly nice to be able to talk with him, especially since he proved to be more than a capable conversation partner, though his tastes seemed much more... unique than the general public.

It was certainly interesting when the raven headed boy would talk about metaphors of darkness with an eloquent grace and a deep voice, but most would attribute it towards his "emo" like personality... which wouldn't be too far off, but he certainly wouldn't be labelled under that specific category. Izuku would believe that it would most likely be due to the nature of his quirk since Dark shadow enjoyed more darker areas in preference to light. But when he would often mutter "revelry in the dark" under his breath during their conversations, it would certainly give him a label like that, though Izuku could tell that it at least meant he was enjoying himself so he didn't mind one bit. It was just what made him unique in this world of variety.

Right now, the black clothed boy was in the midst of talking with Tsuyu, both with drinks in their hands. They at least seemed to be enjoying each other's company as they seemed particularly absorbed in the topic they were discussing. Izuku didn't even hear him speak too much about the darkness that he felt was always lurking around the corner, but perhaps it's just because he's contributing more towards the conversation than he did with Izuku. He had to admit, there were moments of awkwardness when they didn't know how to transition to another topic, of which a moment of silence would ensue. But he was glad that his friend was starting to open up to more of the class, not that he didn't have his own group of friends like Shoji and Ojiro to name a few.

Though now he was free, there was a specific someone he felt he needed to speak with soon. Noting that he already had an objective before his mother had called out for him to surprise her son with a birthday party, which was certainly appreciated. Scanning his head around the room, a smile formed upon his face as he found a certain blue haired girl talk enthusiastically with Inko near the seating area of the living room. However, as he was about to walk over to them, he felt a hand grab his shoulder gently. Turning his head around to meet a certain cowlick hair styled blond with beady blue eyes, Izuku's eyes widened in surprise. "Togata senpai?" He questioned, before looking past him to find the third year student's timid and anxiety pressed boy shuffling awkwardly behind him. "Amajiki senpai?"

Tamaki looked up to him, meeting his emerald gaze with his own onyx black eyes. He acknowledged the boy's response but only nodded as he looked back towards Togata who nodded back in kind with a reassuring smile. The tall and muscular student then redirected his smile at the freckled boy with an indescribable look in his eyes. "Hey Midoriya, can we talk to you for a bit?" Togata requested with a strange amount of enthusiasm in his voice, which had surprised him. "In private... preferably." Tamaki added on with a soft voice, looking bashful with his head lowered. While Izuku had originally intended to try and speak with Nejire, he didn't believe it would do much harm to accept his request and obliged, to which Togata gave him a thumbs up and proceeded to bring him and Tamaki to the enclosed hallway where it would just be the three of them and the environment settled so only soft murmurs of talk from behind the door could be heard.

"So, what is it that you wanted to ask Togata senpai?" Izuku asked, placing his plate on a nearby table with his full attention on him. Togata, with that same bright smile on his face laughed in response before nodding.

"Well, to tell the truth. I, or rather, _we_ wanted to apologize." The emerald eyed boy raised a brow in confusion but let his senior elaborate. "I know things have been tough for you ever since Midoriya had disappeared." The blond said, his voice lowering and his blue eyes darkening in regret. Tamaki also seemed to have a similar expression as his head lowered even more than it normally would. Izuku widened his eyes in surprise but acknowledged the fact with sadness, Togata clenched his fist before looking up to meet his gaze, an honest and kind look in his blue orbs as he put on a reassuring smile like All Might had always done. "And it's been hard on us as a class as well... but we never had the courage to confront you about it either, especially when Hado san would tell us about how you and your mom was coping." He confessed with an apologetic look, rubbing the back of his head but dropped it as he let out a soft sigh. His hand brought up again to comb through his cowlick hair as he angled his gaze towards the ground.

"Perhaps we may have gotten so caught up in trying to get our friend back, but that was no excuse to ignore you in your time of need... and we're sorry about that."

Togata looked up once again to stare at him head on. Izuku could feel the bitter regret in his tone of voice, as if spoken truly from the heart. He was speechless, to put it lightly.

"Togata senpai..." He said sadly.

"Mirio's right... Midoriya has been a friend for all of us at many points in our school years. We had grown close to him like family ever since Hado introduced him to us... but now that he's gone, we had forgotten our duty as your seniors... and as your friend." Tamaki unexpectedly spoke up from beside him with a similar look of pensive regret but surprisingly maintained eye contact. Usually he would be found shaking under normal circumstances, but Izuku could see the hard and determined expression on his face. The emerald eyed boy could only look on in disbelief as the two bowed, speaking in unison.

"We're sorry."

Silence had ensued after the two's profound apology. While Izuku would have gotten all flustered over having people apologizing to him as he would come to terms being the one on the other end of the stick, the freckled boy felt oddly calm and controlled, yet that didn't stop the melancholic ache of his heart. He chuckled softly before shaking his head accompanied with a bashful wave of his arms.

"You don't need to apologize to me... I suppose I haven't been myself for the last few days, but I know that I haven't been able to muster my own courage to ask you all how you were doing... I was too weak and frustrated at the world that they would take my brother away from me... but I failed to acknowledge the fact that they took away a friend of your's as well... so, I'm sorry as well. It could have been easier for all of us if I wasn't being so hard to deal with." Izuku reassured them, laughing pathetically with his dull green eyes cast downwards.

The two stood silent as the boy clasped his hands together over his stomach, fiddling his thumbs as a sort of calming mechanism, their eyes softened in understanding. The soft blur of Izumi's image replaced Izuku's for just a second, his warm amber eyes looking up at the two softly. It was enough to bring a small smile onto their faces. As Izuku looked back up at them, he found the two smiling and chuckling to themselves. Obviously confused at what they would find humorous, he raised an eyebrow but the tall blond wrung an arm around Izuku's neck, bringing him close to his side as he laughed at the flustered squeak he made.

"Hahaha, time and time again Midoriya. You two really are brothers." He chortled loudly with a smile, all traces of sadness washed away from the symbol's purity. Tamaki too smiled as he patted Izuku on the back with a soft smile on his face, also acknowledging this fact. Izuku, while still recovering from the disorienting hold, smiled gratefully for the two that stood beside him as he laughed alongside them. Mirio created a small gap between them, respecting Izuku's personal space but held the sides of his arms with a reassuring grip as his smile softened into one filled with more empathy. "But you shouldn't beat yourself up over not being able to do anything. It's something that every hero will have to come to understand, but it's not wrong to feel sad about it. I'm sure that your brother would understand that as well." Togata reassured him, giving Izuku a small thumbs up and a brilliant smile. Izuku and Tamaki smiled at Togata, nodding alongside him as the three shared a small laugh.

The talk wasn't a long one, but already did he come to learn more and more even through his experiences of suffering. Truly, Izuku was thankful to have such people surround him, and his brother.

Tamaki tapped Togata on the shoulder, to which the taller blond gave him a curious look but soon came to a realization upon seeing the small nod the shy senior student gave, to which he nodded back in affirmative. Turning his attention back, it had seemed that the two's small interaction had caught the boy's attention, though that wasn't surprising considering that they were the only ones around him. Keeping his composure, Togata kept his gaze steady with Izuku's own. "Midoriya, there was one more thing that we wanted to ask of you." Mirio spoke up with a more even tone in his voice, his expression causing Izuku to look at him curiously with a raised brow.

"What is it?" He would ask, causing his two seniors to look at each other once again before nodding. This was for the best.

"I'm sure you probably know... but Hado san's been going through a lot, much like you have. I know that it may be selfish of us to ask, especially considering that you already have a lot on your plate to deal with, not to mention that it's your birthday... but... can we count on you to talk with her?" Togata pleaded to him with an expression of hope. Izuku stepped back in surprise of their proposal with wide green eyes.

"You mean she..." Izuku asked, almost astonished at the fact but the longer he thought about it, it wasn't something that should surprise him. With a small sigh, he smiled to himself thinking about the expressive and bright blue haired girl as he combed his hand through his hair. "She's really been keeping everything to herself this whole time, huh?" He asked, but he already knew the answer to his question. Both Togata and Tamaki nodded in response, with sad smiles.

"We all knew that the news would hit her hard once she found out. It can't have been easy for her to cope with all that's been happening, yet she smiles and acts as if nothing was wrong... Everyone tried to get her to talk, but she always found ways to escape a conversation or even just fly away." Togata said with a small sad chuckle, remembering how he would find Nejire just floating in the air occasionally, away from her friends with her expression contorted into one of deep thought. It was a sad sight, but they could never force her into opening up. She was their friend, it was only fair that they trust her as she would trust them. She just needed time... but it seems even then, it's running thin.

"That's right... Hado was always a hard one to read. Even if some of her intentions and actions were as clear as daylight, she's too good at hiding the things that would really bother her deep down. Yet in spite of that, she's quite an emotional person, someone who can feel things from the deepest depths in her heart." Tamaki concurred, his usual depression seeping into his voice, but he continued nevertheless as he stared firmly into Izuku's eyes in contrast to his usual aversion of people. "But you have a bond with her that is different than ours, a friendship built on the premise of something we ourselves don't have the power to overcome, as much as I don't like to admit it." The raven haired boy said quietly, fiddling with his thumbs in a nervous fashion but maintained his gaze.

"So please... could you help her?"

Izuku stood silent as he was confronted with his two senior's expectant and hopeful stares. He smiled, there was little reason for him to decline. After all it was true, Nejire was someone close to him. He had come to concern himself with her well being many times when she would come over to visit or stay on rarer occasions, and she would do the same for him. She was like an older sister to him, a dear one in fact. In fact, he was actually wanting to go talk to her before Togata and Tamaki had pulled him aside, but he didn't mind. Izuku nodded, "Of course I will. After all, isn't it always a hero's duty to help those in need?" He said pridefully with a bright glow to his emerald green eyes. Togata laughed heartily in response and patted Izuku's shoulder while Tamaki simply gave a relieved and grateful smile.

"Hahaha, that's right! I'm glad to see that Yuuei has been doing good for you, not to say that you didn't already have those qualities before." He praised him, causing the boy to immediately blush in response to the compliment as he stuttered out a thank you. The three shared a small laugh, but it quickly died down but not with any heavy atmosphere.

"But thank you, it means a lot that you would be able to help her." Togata said smiling, Izuku could only nod back in response.

"It's not a problem. She's helped me a lot back then, and you guys have as well. So I'll do my best to see if I could help her!" The emerald eyed boy said, his expression determined before letting out an exhale. His features softened as he looked back up at his two seniors.

"Well, if there's nothing else, I suppose I'll be going now. I hope you guys enjoy the rest of the party." Izuku said, bowing before moving to turn around to walk back into the main commotion of the party. Tamaki nodded and waved as Togata smiled brightly with a thumbs up. "Will do!" Togata responded in kind, though his blue eyes widened as he reached his hand out to Izuku one last time. "Oh, and one more thing!" He said after jogging just a bit towards him, causing Izuku to raise a brow curiously but was only met with Togata's smile as he handed him a wrapped box. "This one is from me." Tamaki said as he also stepped forward in step with Togata as he handed him a smaller one in size before the two took a step back.

"Happy birthday, Midoriya." They enunciated in perfect unison.

Izuku could only look down at the two tidily presented gifts with smile and nod his head as he looked back up to them once more.

"Thank you."

The two watched as Izuku reintegrated back into the room full of people. A soft smile present on their faces as the forest haired boy wandered around the room full of acquaintances and friends. A soft chuckle emerged from Togata as he folded his arms and leaned against the door frame. "He sure has grown up, hasn't he?" He asked his friend, to which Tamaki nodded in response. "Yeah..."

Silence ensued between the two as they simply watched on from the sidelines.

"Hey... do you think we should have done something?" Tamaki asked out of the blue, causing Togata to look at him curiously with his deep sapphire blue eyes.

"What do you mean?" He questioned his friend, to which the raven haired boy shook his head.

"I mean, isn't it kind of pitiful that we have to resort to using Midoriya to break through to her... I feel as if we failed as her friends." He said with a tone of sad bitterness in his voice as he looked towards his childhood friend. Togata could see the genuine confusion present within his onyx black eyes, however, he could only look back towards Izuku and Nejire talking on the couch. Taking in a deep breath, he patted Tamaki on the shoulder.

"Don't worry my friend." He said with the most reassuring tone he could muster. "I know what you mean, and it's true that it's frustrating that as some of her closest friends, we aren't able to get through to her... But it's because that we're close friends that she doesn't want to have to make us worry. She's always been like that." The blond said with a bright smile, to which Tamaki nodded in agreeance, fully aware of her tendencies to shoulder her own problems and burdens without complaining or asking for help. Though the same could apply for all of them at some point in their lives, it was just some of the virtuous and selfless qualities of pride as a hero. But he also knew that sometimes it was important to discard that pride when it involved the worry of those around you. "Besides," Togata continued. "You've said it yourself, Tamaki. Midoriya has a special bond with her that's different than our's. Both of them have been deeply hurt by Midoriya's disappearance, and both have spent time isolated in their own worlds for far too long. They need this... both of them do."

Tamaki looked up to his friend with wide eyes but his gaze lowered upon recognizing and agreeing with his view. The two continued to watch as people moved past and by, but it wasn't long before Togata spoke again, as he turned towards his friend with a bright smile.

"Besides, even if it must be Midoriya to be the one to break the shell. As friends we will still be there for her when she needs us. We owe her at least that much, don't we?" He asked him, to which he could only chuckle softly with a small smile.

"I suppose you're right as always, Mirio."

* * *

Re-entering the room full of people, Izuku found himself letting out a breath from the encounter he had just had. It wasn't one he regretted having, but it sure did make a difference on him as the world seemed to brighten, if just a bit. Taking his time to readjust to reality, Izuku quietly scanned the room as to try and locate the blue haired girl. However, it wasn't hard to spot her, seeing as Nejire would end up talking with Inko on the couches, laughing and smiling. With a smile on his own face, Izuku calmly walking over to the two. Drawing closer to the two, the freckled boy could feel his heart warm up hearing his mother laugh and smile like she would before when she would talk with Nejire. The bluenette did seem to have that characteristic and effect on people, especially himself once he got acquainted with her better.

He had stood there for a moment, simply taking the time to watch the two. While he did have the intention of wanting to talk to the bluenette, he decided not to interrupt the two's conversation immediately, seeing how the two would enjoy each other's company. With a soft smile on his face, Izuku quietly sat next to his mother and dug into his plate of food while listening in to their conversation. However, despite his efforts, his presence didn't escape the keen eyes of the wave motion quirk user as her eyes lit up upon seeing Izuku within her peripheral. Smiling and offering him a small wave, Izuku chuckled to himself before nodding back, noting the irony that he would try to be discreet about it only to be immediately spotted by the ever so attentive student but not expecting anything less. Seeing the change in attention of her conversation partner, Inko turned around and reacted in a similar fashion to Izuku's presence as she clapped her hands together softly.

"Ah, Izuku you're here! How are you doing, are you feeling better?" Inko pressed, her motherly persona taking over. She had gently placed her warm cup of tea that had occupied her gentle fingers back on a table mat before placing a comforting hand on top of his forearm. Her eyes glistened with a patient expectation as she looked to him, seemingly searching for any signs of wear or negative light in his expression, though Izuku knew it was out of concern for his well being. Izuku smiled back and nodded with a matching smile to relieve her of her worries.

"I'm fine mom." Izuku assured her with a closed eyed smile before looking out to the people gathered across the entirety of the room. "Though I do have to say that it is a it overwhelming having so many people here... but the change certainly isn't unwelcome." He supplied with a soft look to his food before stabbing his fork in a piece of meat and drawing it into his mouth for a tasty bite, to which he made a small hum of approval. Inko and Nejire both exchanged looks at each other before smiling.

"That's good to hear, I'm glad that you've made such wonderful friends. In fact, Nejire chan stopped by earlier to help set up the plans for the party." Inko said, presenting the cheery girl beside her with an open hand. Nejire giggled, seemingly amused with her presentation before waving once again. Izuku widened his eyes in surprise. "Did you really do that, Nejire senpai?" The freckled boy asked incredulously. The senior student nodded eagerly in response.

"Well yeah! I know that you've been under the weather recently, especially after some... recent events." Nejire recounted with a bittersweet smile, looking gently at the cup held snugly in her hands. Though as quickly as her change of expression appeared over her face, it was quickly replaced with a brighter one. "But there's no way that I'd miss my little brother's birthday!" She cheered, giggling at the little detail she made there. Izuku could only stare at her wide eyed in surprised before chuckling indulging in the idea, "Oh, am I the little brother now?" Izuku laughed, sharing the same amount of amusement as Nejire before scratching the back of his head, seemingly slightly bashful at the prospect.

Inko could only watch on, amused at the two's interaction. While there may have been a few missing dots that would most likely connect back to her amnesia. Especially since it revolved around the topic of Izuku's brother, who was apparently born about two years earlier than him and would be around the same age as Nejire chan. It was strange and no doubt disorienting to discover this fact, especially since she felt as though she could recall her memories of parenthood with only Izuku and herself.

Even though she did not remember this... Izumi, everybody present seemed to acknowledge him as someone who was more than just fiction to Inko.

In fact, Nejire had come to visit their apartment a few days after the Stain incident; though to the jade haired woman, she could barely recognize the wavy haired bluenette in front of her. When she had stood in front of her, she felt a small tug at the back of her mind, wanting to remember... but she was unable to. Inko remembered how Nejire's face would fall into concern and confusion when she would ask "Who are you?"

After a long and confusing explanation, the two would get nowhere as Nejire's main method of trying to reconnect with her... was about Izumi. Upon seeing the topic falling to a dead end, Nejire than asked to see Izuku, which had given Inko the idea that they were at least acquaintances. Nevertheless, she was still at a loss about this figure that Nejire would speak so fondly of, not to mention the hurt that would linger within her voice whenever he would be mentioned, only to be followed by a hollow and bittersweet laugh at the memories she would describe.

Unfortunately, Izuku too seemed to be stuck in his own depressed state as he was unable to answer the door when Inko would try to wake him up, but his bedroom door was locked from the inside. It was concerning to say the least, Izuku would never block himself out from the world like this, even the terrible day he would be diagnosed with quirklessness. Her son was an emotional person, he reacted strongly with those he grew close to, and would continue to sustain those bonds once they took place. He had a self destructive personality at times, wanting to save others even at the risk of hurting himself... or whether he didn't want to burden anybody with his problems, and thus keeping those things that made his heart heavy continue to shackle him.

But even then, Izuku knew when he needed help. He knew that keeping a heavy heart wouldn't become good for his conscience, and sometimes it just slips out on it's own when he would grow weary or tired. Inko was the main figure in his life that he would always open up to, but she knew that he held some things back from her once he began his first year at Yuuei. No doubt the USJ incident would shake someone as young as him up. but he would be able to get out of his slump quickly enough. Though Inko would find Izuku walking out in the middle of the night every now and then with a grim and fearful expression on his face as he would down cups after cups of chocolate or tea just to calm himself down before returning back to his room.

The two didn't have much to do for the rest of the day as they would both be relieved from their duties as of recent circumstances; so they did what any other person did, sit on the couch, grab some warm beverages and have a nice chat. They talked and talked as the sun would set into the night thanks to the endless amount of conversation starters would have ingrained into her head, not the Inko minded.

It was certainly nice to have someone to talk to, especially since most of her contacts and friends were busy at work or had their own problems to deal with. Of course, most of her work friends had come to stop by and say hi, but Tokyo had it's ways of having work for everybody to do. Even then, there was one person that Inko could always rely on to talk about her problems... but unfortunately she seemed to have trouble dealing with her child as well.

Nevertheless, while she was here, Inko greatly enjoyed Nejire's company. They would talk and talk, but something about seeing her here in front of Inko would continue to tug at her, but every time Inko would just brush it off... at least, she tried. When their chatter began to quieten and responses and ideas ran short, they would inevitably say their goodbyes. Though as she waved the bluenette off, there was that dreaded emptiness that would fill her body once again as she would be left alone. The house seemed even more empty even after the events of the past few days, leaving only a wall stuck between her and her only other source of comfort.

But time and time again would the cheery bluenette stop by to say hello. She also seemed to have something weighing upon her shoulders, but when they would begin to talk more and more, it felt as if the heavy atmosphere in the room would dissipate and leave the burden of reality forgotten, if only for just a brief moment.

Inko could only smile, watching her son and the blue hared girl that had just stepped into her life joke and laugh with each other. They truly did seem comfortable with each other, almost like brother and sister. It made Inko think; were they always like this before she lost her memories? She didn't know. Since those few days ago, Inko had firmly believed that she had just met the cheery blue haired girl that would stand outside her door for the first time, but that would apparently be put into question and reality would shatter once she would see how Izuku reacted with all of these unfamiliar faces.

It was confusing and disorienting for her. While it wasn't something that she would consider overwhelming, rather it was just the surprise of seeing so many people pop up around Izuku, to embrace him as someone who means something to them, something that she had always wished for. For Izuku to make friends who are interested for just him, there would be no need for her to watch over him, no need to have to always worry... to see her child grow up before her very eyes, but it seems that he already did, but she just did not realize it until now... at least, that was how she perceived it. But whatever the case may be, Inko was simply happy that Izuku was doing well and was smiling, that was all that mattered to her.

Checking her watch, Inko smiled seeing the hands soon strike seven. It had been about two hours since the party had debut, but Inko knew better than to let it die now. Looking back up to the two chatter endlessly about topics that she could only try to comprehend, Inko smiled once again seeing how lively Izuku looked when surrounded by those he could finally call himself to be familiar with, and he was happy.

"Well, I think I'll leave you two be for now. I think it's time to get the other dishes prepared." Inko said, excusing herself with a pleasant smile as she stood up from the couch, catching the attention of the other two beside her.

"Wait what, there's more!?" Nejire exclaimed in surprise, her eyes wide and her mouth let agape. Izuku seemed to be in a similar state of shock, especially after seeing how much food had already been set on the table. Seeing their matching similar expressions, Inko giggled in amusement.

"There's no need to rush Nejire chan, I just cooked a bit extra since there are a few more people who haven't arrived yet." She reasoned, informing the two which had only gave rise to more questions. Izuku and Nejire turned towards each other, their confused gazes communicating the idea that neither of them knew who else would be coming apart from everybody else present. Wanting to know, Izuku asked the obvious question.

"There are more coming? Who is it?" He mused curiously. Inko placed a finger on her chin in thought for a moment but ended up smiling at him.

"You'll see, Izuku. But don't worry, they'll be here any minute now." She assured him, moving to walk towards the kitchen as she excused herself once again to pass through the two. Izuku nodded in response and smiled back, fine with the suggestion of more people coming to his party, though he looked out towards his mother as she would reach the end of the couch.

"Oh, okay mom. Do you need any help?" Izuku asked her, to which she shook her head in response but smiled, appreciative of his efforts.

"No, it's fine..." She said, pausing for a moment in thought before returning her attention back towards Izuku. "Though I would appreciate it if you would be able to open up the door for them when they do get here." She said, smiling before walking over towards her son. Izuku nodded in response with a soft smile but looked up towards her curiously as she continued towards him with a soft expression. He was about to call out to her but stiffened as Inko swiftly leant down towards him and gave him a soft kiss on his forehead. Nejire couldn't help but contain her gushing as she giggled to herself quietly. As Inko pulled back, Izuku looked up, a look of concern present on his face.

"Mom, is something wrong?" He asked, his voice filled with concern. Inko's smile faltered slightly but she quickly recovered and shook her head as she smiled towards him, ruffling his hair gently. "Nothing's wrong, dear... I'm just glad that you've made such wonderful friends." She said happily with a closed eyed smile, causing Izuku to smile in kind. Inko breathed softly before nodding and taking her leave as Izuku could only continue to watch her back until the voice of the bluenette beside him would once again capture his attention.

Walking through the crowds of people that would associate themselves with Izuku, Inko smiled seeing as how many of them would greet her with a kind smile and wave while others gush about how awesome she was, especially in her field of cooking. Inko couldn't help but laugh with them, a warm feeling welling up from inside her chest. As she would make her way to the secluded kitchen, where it seemed to be unoccupied at the current moment. Wordlessly, she would don on her usual apron and mittens as she would check on the pots and pans as well as the space within the oven to check on the extra servings of food she had cooked.

She would continue to work without too much thought as it was a usual sort of routine for her, though her attention was caught by a soft buzz from her pocket. Setting off the heat from the stove, she took off one of her gloves to reach into her pocket and dig out her phone, which had since fell motionless. With a curious expression, she turned the display on, and in doing so found herself smiling brightly at the message that would display across the screen. Chuckling to herself, she quickly texted back a reply to the receiving end and pressed send. Satisfied with her progress, Inko placed the phone back into her pocked. Continuing on with her cooking, Inko hummed happily as she would strive to ensure that the meal she would be preparing would be the best that she could manage.

After all, a close friend of her's would make it here to the party soon.

* * *

Nejire and Izuku continued to talk after Inko's leave, picking back off of some of their previous conversations and even coming up with new ones. While Izuku was more than a little concerned with the little facade his mother put up, he could tell that it was from pent up nervousness, at least that was what he suspected it to be. He couldn't complain about all that his mother did for him, he never could bring himself to do such a thing. He was no connoisseur, but that quick little peck felt timid or shaky, not like the sweet and soft ones Inko would usually give him or Izumi whenever they did something good. However, he worries faded away once he saw her smile to herself in the backroom confines of the kitchen, to which he could see her through the counter top opening. Perhaps she was just excited for whomever was coming to the party soon, though there were only a handful that he could suspect.

Nevertheless, he continued to smile as Nejire would talk enthusiastically with her usual perky tone and energy. Having her around would lift anyone's spirits from whatever problems would stick to them, but her vibrant energy would wash them all away, it was a natural talent of her's. Perhaps it was what drew Izumi to her in the first place, he always would mention something of a similar effect whenever the topic arose in his early days of learning at Yuuei. However, something that didn't escape his notice was the subtle change in attitude that Nejire had. On the outside, she may seem the same. Lively, exuberant and full of energy, but of the time Izuku knew her, he could tell that she seemed tired.

"-od Izuku?" Nejire's voice echoed, snapping him out of his thoughtful state as he turned his focus towards her at neck breaking speeds with an expression of pure bewilderment as well as a sound that could only be described as such. Raising an eyebrow, Nejire looked at him confusedly but quickly came to realize what had happened as she broke into a giggling fit, causing Izuku to blush in embarrassment. This continued on for a few seconds before Izuku finally responded in a more composed fashion, though not by much.

"S-sorry... what were you saying Nejire senpai?" Izuku inquired bashfully, still feeling the slight burn of the tip of his ears and cheeks for spacing out but kept his attention on the girl in front of him. Nejire smiled reassuringly in response, "I was asking if you think food tastes better when it's made by yourself or for others." She reiterated, leaning back against the sofa with her mug held securely in her hands, taking a small sip of the drink but keeping her rapt attention on the freckled boy. Izuku raised an eyebrow in response.

"Why do you ask that?" He asked curiously, though thinking upon it now, most of her conversation topics and questions merely stemmed from idle curiosity. Nejire's eyes looked up in thought, a finger placed on her chin as she hummed. "Well, I haven't tried my hand at cooking in quite a while. Thinking back on it now, I remember the first time I tried cooking was at your house!" She pointed out with an expression of fond surprise as she pointed towards him. Izuku smiled, he too remembered the very... interesting occasion when Nejire had come to their house and had the audacity to suggest cooking for them despite not knowing how to actually cook.

To his, and Izumi's surprise, she had decided to try and attempt to make a curry, since she had found an interest in the food back then. Especially with the bold and complex tastes present within the liquid and other components cooked within said liquid. Whether it be soupy or thick, it always had rich earthy and savory flavors but it also had a taste of sweetness through the spices used. Of course, most curries you would find would have a good punch of heat packed into it's contents. It was definitely an experience to say the least, but that wasn't to say that it was a disaster, nor was it bad, in fact it was quite the opposite. While Nejire didn't have much experience prior to cooking, she had simply taken to gather ingredients and follow a recipe she found on the internet.

However, that was to say that Nejire had... a very unique sense of taste. At least, a bit different from the way the Midoriyas liked to eat their food.

On the night Nejire had announced her choice in attempting the challenge, Inko had left to the city to celebrate an occasion with her work friends in her office. Little did she know that she would unintentionally dodge a bullet there. When the three would be seated there at the table, presented with what actually looked like quite a fancy dish, the two felt excited to try it. However, what they weren't aware of was that during the process of her creation, she would add in a few extra ingredients not listed within the list she found, but had decided to experiment by herself. Not to mention that she pretty much did everything from scratch.

Of course, doing it like this was a time consuming process, so the brothers were at least allowed to help with some of the preparation of the ingredients, such as grinding some of the peppers or preparing some of the more savory aspects of the dish, such as meat and other items. Unfortunately, there was one occasion where the blue haired girl had accidentally created a puff of curry powder smoke, causing the three to erupt in a fit of coughs while their faces and noses burned, but no harm done in the end. Although at that point, Izuku had taken to just staying outside and preparing the set for the dining table before taking a shower while the two would continue.

Nevertheless, it was a fun experience for the blue haired girl. It had amazed her to see how the colors had blended and bloomed as steam would rise from the pot. Izumi had oversaw and mediated her progress by keeping a watchful eye and occasionally directing her, but had left most of the experience for her to witness, and she was grateful for that. Though, as she would near the final stages, Nejire would find herself stirring the pot with Izumi and Izuku sitting outside talking. Everything else was ready and set on the plates that lined up against the counter with a scoop of rice, some assorted vegetables and a small serving bowl beside each of them. All that was left was her curry to be delivered. However, as curiosity got the best of her, Nejire had taken a spoon to quickly allow herself a taste.

It was good, however, she decided that it didn't have enough spice as she would have liked. And thus, created a chain of scavenging the fridge and pantry for whatever she could find for whatever unique tastes she could acquire.

Thus, resulted in the two Midoriya brothers feeling their face burn a bright and intense red as they took their first bite. They had to resist the urge to start coughing despite the burn that echoed throughout their esophagus and lungs. They could only put up their best smiles, however shaky once they saw how her glimmering blue eyes shined in expectation. She smiled in satisfaction before digging in herself.

... lo and behold, she made a sound of pure ecstasy as she sighed dreamily after eating that first bite. Her face wasn't even flushed nor did she sweat like the two boys opposite her. They could only stare wide eyed before she started to devour the meal. It was definitely an experience, but it was one that they remembered fondly, now matter how much their lungs hurt. Even Izumi couldn't handle the intensity of heat that had accumulated and clogged his senses. Getting to the point where he needed to excuse himself for a moment. Though instead of going to the fridge and grabbing a carton of milk like any other person, he fled to the outdoor balcony and closed the curtains behind him. What they could see was only a bright emanating light from behind the covers. As he returned, the skin on his face seemed to return to it's natural tone, however there was still the slight grimace on his expression from the lingering spiciness, but put up a smile and laughed nervously when Nejire turned to look at him curiously.

Izuku would never forget that moment.

A small giggle erupted from Nejire as she shook her head, a soft smile on her face. "I still remember how red your faces were, you didn't have to hide it. But I'm sorry again for making it so spicy." She apologized to the freckled boy but he merely waved his hands in response accompanied with a shake of his head. "It's quite alright Nejire senpai. It actually tasted pretty good... despite the heat packed into it..." Izuku admitted sheepishly at the end, rubbing the back of his head. Shaking her head in amusement, she smiled towards him. "Thanks, it's just a trait that my family seem to have." Nejire commented idly before smiling fondly, "Y'know I've taken up baking since then, it's definitely a lot easier than having to manage using the stove." She alleged, causing Izuku to widen his eyes in surprise.

"You bake, Nejire senpai? I never knew..." The freckled boy questioned, almost unsure of how to feel about that, unintentionally thinking up of what kind of ways she could over accentuate something. Especially with the new revelation about her preferences in food. Nejire giggled at the funny expression Izuku made but waved it off, knowing that he didn't mean any harm by it. But perhaps it did make sense. Nejire seemed to be the kind attracted to sweets, though to be fair, her personality as a whole could be attributed towards being something sugary. Her high amounts of energy, her bubbliness, her kindness.

Taking a breath, Nejire smiled, leaning forward with a glint of pride shining in her eyes. "Relax Izuku, I've definitely been improving. In fact, Izumi would often say that my cakes taste great!" She exclaimed proudly, clapping her hands together with a bright smile on her face. It was hard not to feel his lips curve upwards on his own face seeing how much she beamed with energy, Izuku could swear that a faint light glowed around her, but he was fairly certain that her quirk didn't work in that way... or did it? "It would be so much fun decorating the cakes, playing around with the balance of flour, sugar or butter, even adding in extra flavors such as berries! Oh, and eating the cake batter would always taste so good!" She cheered with eyes full of excitement as she rambled on with a reminiscent smile on her face.

"It would always be so much fun... feeling the warm glow that the oven gave off, the satisfaction of achieving a favorable result... seeing how the colors bloom and mix, darken or lighten... It would always be fun, having Izumi smile as he would help me with something I had trouble with, or when we would sit back and watch the cake in the oven rise..." She drifted off, her perky glow dissolving, being replaced with a more melancholic one as she laughed sadly.

"Even if cooking desserts wasn't his strongest suit, nor was his particular creativity with art, but he was always there whenever I needed him." She said, averting her eyes to the side. It pained her, having to remember the smile that would appear over his face as well as her's. How he would laugh in delight and help out whenever she would accidentally make a mess. How she would feel that warm fuzzy feeling in her chest just enjoying her time beside him... but that feeling had now left a hole in her heart.

A sigh escaped Nejire's lips as she looked back up at Izuku. It made her wince, seeing his emerald green eyes look towards her in concern, much like the same way as Izumi did, but she tried her best to hold it in. She put up a smile to mask her sorrow, it was all she could do to protect herself from being hurt again. "I just thought that maybe I should learn to cook for myself sometimes. After all, cooking is an important skill to learn. Maybe once when I graduate from Yuuei, I'd have to end up cooking something for myself every once in a while..."

Before she continued, Nejire paused for a moment to look back up to Izuku, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly.

"Haha, sorry, I didn't mean to bring down the mood."

Izuku could only look to the girl in front of him with a storm of emotions welling inside of his soul. It wasn't often that he would find himself speaking in front of this version of the usually bright and energetic bluenette, but now, he felt his chest tighten just hearing the strain in her voice. But man, the way she put up that smile over her face, it would almost seem like nothing was wrong. It felt too real, and that disturbed Izuku. He could only really tell since he would come to have many opportunities within the past year and two ago. He seemed at a loss for words, in situations like these, Izuku had a hard time finding the right things to say, especially since the source of her problems would become something that troubled him as well.

All he could do was sit there in thought, but all that mattered was helping someone in need. Putting on the most reassuring smile he could muster, Izuku looked back up to Nejire, his green eyes meeting her's, his expression softening.

"I-if you're interested... I'm sure my mom would be happy to teach you if you wanted." He suggested. It was only a suggestion, but he knew that it would be a start. It seemed to work for her as she would come to smile in kind and nod after taking a moment to ponder over it.

"That... sounds nice." She said, her tone reminiscent of gratefulness. A soft smile would grace her lips as she stared back down into the reflection of her mug, a silence falling between the two, but it definitely wasn't one that Izuku could call comfortable. Nejire softly exhaled, averting her eyes to the side with an empty look on her face. Izuku could only send a concerned look her way as he saw this before calling out to her.

"Are you alright, Nejire senpai?" He asked concernedly with a soft smile as a small means of reassuring her.

"Hm? What do you mean?" Nejire asked curiously, her head turned towards him, though Izuku couldn't decipher any emotion from the storm brewing within her sky blue eyes. However, it seems as though he has her full attention now. Izuku shrugged before shyly alternating his focus of attention from Nejire to back down at his mug, unsure of how to proceed.

"Oh um, I just thought you sounded tired..." He responded sheepishly, but he already knew that wasn't the reason why. Izuku could tell what had plagued the blue haired girl, as it was something that haunted him as well over the past few days. Nejire widened her eyes in surprise but her gaze softened kindly in face of Izuku's concern. Chuckling softly, she waved her hand gently as to reassure him. "I suppose I'm alright. Maybe I haven't been getting enough sleep, but hey, a lot's been happening, hasn't it?" Nejire said with a smile on her face, shrugging off her wear like it wasn't anything important. Izuku could only frown in response, but he couldn't deny her excuse. However, he kept his stand on the matter as he remained silent with that same pressing look of concern on his face. Taking notice of this, Nejire felt slightly shaken, yet her facade continued to hold as she waved him off. "Really, you don't need to worry about me Izuku, I'm fi-"

"You're not fine, Nejire senpai." Izuku interjected with his hands tightly gripped the fabric of his pants, catching the sky eyed girl completely off guard. His stern emerald green eyes stared into her's, an intensity shining within them that she had never seen up close before. A soft exhale escaped Izuku's lips, but maintained his gaze. "Togata and Amajiki senpai told me that you've been distancing yourself from them for a while... they're worried about you." Izuku said firmly yet his tone was gentle with concern. The unforeseen light of truth drew a wide eyed reaction from the blue haired girl, who could only turn her head away sadly.

"They told you, huh?..." Nejire sighed, resting her cheek against the palm of her hand with her eyes downcast. "Maybe they're right... it's still hard coming to terms with what's happened recently. It feels like a dream, a nightmare that I can't wake up from..." She murmured deep in thought, though Izuku could only share a bittersweet smile. "I know that feeling. It really does feel like that, huh?" Nejire nodded, looking towards him with a soft gaze as well as a soft and happy smile.

"But I'm glad to see that you've been handling this well... it seems you've been certainly doing a lot better than I have." She said weakly with an artificial tone of humor. Though her blue eyes showed the same sense of comfort and reassurance they always did, even if the light inside them was a bit dull and gloomy. Widening his eyes in surprise, Izuku chuckled nervously before shaking his head in denial. "Haha, I don't think that's true... After all, I can't say that I've gotten over it either." Izuku admitted bashfully before looking back down at his food. A bitter smile played across his lips as he stabbed lightly at some vegetables on his plate. "It's been really hard, knowing that I'd have to continue on without Nii san here beside me. To wrap my head around what he had become... He was the best brother that I could ask for... but I just don't know what to make of what had happen then." Izuku said shakily, looking up towards Nejire. The girl could only look upon him with pity in her eyes as she rested her mug on the surface of the coffee table to open her arms to embrace the freckled boy.

Izuku flinched slightly at the unexpected contact, but had taken comfort in the warmth she had emanated and reciprocated the hug. A thin lipped line played across his lips as he did so. "It must have been hard for him... even if he was the one that killed Stain... but I know that my brother must still be there inside him. He has to... and I want him back." Nejire giggled softly, patting his back reassuringly.

"Don't worry, I miss him too... but we have to have faith that he'll be alright." She supplied before taking in a deep breath to compose herself. After a moment of silence the two split away from each other, however, both had shown to have newly painted smiles on their faces as the two chuckled in unison.

"Thank you... but, I think it's important to address your health. We've all been worried for you, Nejire senpai... me included." Izuku said, scratching the back of his head before smiling towards Nejire. "I know that I haven't been able to help you guys over the past few days... you all have helped me a lot, especially throughout the year. I hope you can rely on me if anything's wrong, we're pretty much family after all!" Izuku said firmly with his emerald eyes shining with that same flash of determination that would always make Nejire smile, and so it did. A soft giggle escaped Nejire's lips as she politely covered her mouth.

"You've been worried about me? That's sweet Izuku..." The blue haired girl looked down to her lap in thought, something appeared to be eating away at her but Izuku would remain patient.

 _*Ding...*_

The soft chime of the doorbell had resounded through the apartment. While it did gain everyone's attention, it's moment of spotlight was quickly dropped to resume conversation. However with Izuku, he turned his head towards the doorway entrance with surprise as well as growing curiosity. "Oh, I think those are the people mom was talking about..." Izuku drifted off, his head turned towards the door. Turning back towards Nejire, she smiled and gave him a motion that ushered him on to answer it. "Don't worry about me, Izuku! It's customary that the host must greet their visitors after all!" She reassured him with her usual energetic flair. However, he could see the disappointment present on her face as the chime rang. Her eyes growing dull in sadness, it was something that he couldn't just leave alone. He couldn't just leave her alone.

"But... is that okay?..." He voiced his concern with a visible expression of reluctance.

"I'll be fine Izuku... but thank you. It means a lot that you care. Maybe we can continue this little chat later, if you're up for it?" She suggested with a soft look, Izuku could only nod and smile. "Promise?" He held out his pinkie finger with a goofy smile. A memento and sign of the past of when they would first meet. Nejire giggled in amusement before interlocking her pinkie with his, shaking it. "Promise."

Chuckling to himself, he nodded and rose from his seat, satisfied. Sending a quick wave to Nejire, he kept on walking through the room until he spotted his two seniors waving towards him. Giving them a smile, he gave them an ok sign with his hands. Little to say, they understood the message as they gave him an appreciative nod and approving thumbs up before moving over to where the blue haired girl sat. Momentarily returning his attention to Nejire, she seemed to sit there silently, alone with her thoughts. Though it wouldn't be too long before the call of their friends would gain her attention and bring forth that bright smile he was so used to seeing.

A small smile spread across his lips before turning back.

Quickly moving over to the front door of their apartment, Izuku swiftly undid the few locks that were in place and placed his hand on top of the chilled brass knob of the door. He was indeed curious about who would be showing up at the door, but he could only guess a handful of people who may show up in front of him. Izuku knew that there were a few people in his class that were not present, which was understandable. He certainly wasn't exactly comfortable with everyone in his class, but he believed that they would at least have a mutual standing of each other. He was simply in one friend group while the others were in theirs. Most of those present were at least inside or were extensions of that friend group, though there were a few surprises such as Koda and Sato, but they were certainly welcome to join.

Of course, then there were people like Ashido, Kaminari, Kirishima, Sero and... Bakugo. He hadn't really had many chances to speak to them as they appeared to stand on the opposite end of the social spectrum. The group of friends formed since the sports festival would be much more outgoing and exuberant than that of which Izuku would fit in with. But he had a mutual respect for all of them, especially for Bakugo. He could only hope that they saw him in the same light.

Actually, he was surprised that such people would accept Bakugo into their friend group, or at least Kirishima introduced him since they already appeared to have some sort of friendship since the year's starting through mutual respect, at least that's what Izuku suspected it to be. Nevertheless, he knew how well people reacted to Bakugo's... brash and loudmouthed nature. In fact, many had made fun of him for it. Oh how he remembered how his image of reality began to quake on that short ride to the outskirts of the city to the USJ.

Nevertheless, Izuku was glad to see his childhood friend make some friends that he could trust, even if he couldn't be there for him anymore.

Without further pause, Izuku opened the door to greet his new guests. Though as he greeted his unknown guests with an innocent and welcoming smile, his expression quickly grew into one of shock and surprise as a familiar head of spiky sandy blond hair and piercing ruby red eyes glared at him with their usual flair. Unable to say anything at that moment as the two stared each other down, Izuku made a gurgling noise of fear before shaking his head in an attempt to dispel the illusion cast before his eyes, yet his image persisted.

"K-kacchan?!" The freckled boy exclaimed in utter shock and surprise, his emerald eyes widening to nearly comically extreme levels. The ill tempered student in response growled at the nickname Izuku would always call him, his squinted eyes seemingly growing more and more constricted an wrinkled by each second. The sandy blond had worn a simple black t-shirt underneath the orange and grey parka he wore, as well as baggy camo trousers and boots covering the lower half of his body. A simple aesthetic, but one that fit him well.

"Deku..." Bakugo growled with a low tone, the usual sense of hostility emanating from his friend. Izuku was stuck in place, unsure of what to do in this awkward situation as he could only stand there with a flurry of emotions present on his face. However, a new presence would arrive as a swift hand had slapped the back of the ruby eyed boy's head roughly, making an audible noise which had caused Bakugo to grunt more in annoyance and slight fright at the unexpected slap. A dark and ominous presence creeping up from behind him, challenging his own aura.

"Hey! That's no way to treat a friend!" A female voice emerged, it's owner stepping into view retracting her hand by her side to reveal Bakugo's very own mother, Mitsuki. A most disapproving and stern look on her face. Izuku could only widen his eyes in response and was about to say something but was quickly cut off by Bakugo himself, his expression showing that he had more than a few things to say in retaliation.

"Wha- YOU BI-" He shouted but, he would find himself interrupted from audibly cussing through Inko's arrival on the scene as she hurried towards the small group of people. A bright and visible smile on her face. All the while, Bakugo fumed and growled upon being ignored.

"Ah, Mitsuki! It's good to see you again!" The jade haired woman exclaimed, smiling gently towards her friend before shifting her attention towards the spiky haired blond woman's son with a look of surprise but it quickly melted into a soft smile as she nodded towards him. "And hello to you too Bakugo kun, it's been too long since I've seen you. You've grown so much!" Inko gushed with that expected motherly vibe. In response, Bakugo calmed down ever so slightly in response to Inko's calming aura and huffed through his nose but nodded towards her in acknowledgement. Mitsuki in the meanwhile ignored her son's rude gesture he was about to make earlier as she quickly glomped her shorter friend with her taller stature.

"Right back at you, girl! It's been forever since we've last talked face to face!" She exclaimed enthusiastically with her arms fastened securely and tightly around Inko, who of which laughed in response and hugged back, patting her friend's back happily. Both laughing from the little interaction. Izuku smiled in amusement as he watched the two move apart but Mitsuki kept her arms held firm on his mother's shoulders.

"Yo, Midoriya! Happy birthday!" Another voice called out to the freckled boy, however this one was much more friendly than the first. Turning his head back to the doorway in surprise, Izuku found a head of spiked red hair and crimson red eyes greeting him with their usual jovial and enthusiastic nature. Bakugo huffed in response as his friend joined him, though saying that, he was mostly just blocking the doorway. Seeing that Kirishima wasn't the kind to push past Bakugo, he just sort of resigned himself to leaning over Bakugo's shoulder, his head and wide grin in view.

He had worn a red hoodie with a flame filled aesthetic as well as simple blue jeans and black-red sneakers, though he also appeared to have a black backpack slung over his shoulder.

"K-Kirishima san! You're here as well?" Izuku said, pleasantly surprised that the red riot fan would come to join his party as well. The spiked redhead laughed in response, nodding his head as well as puffing his chest out in a prideful manner behind where Bakugo stood looking around. It was weird that he acted so aloof, as if he was seemingly spacing out, which was a particularly odd detail since in most cases, Izuku would have assumed that he would have just gone to the dinner table to grab some food before sulking off somewhere, but Izuku chose not to speak up about it.

"Haha, yeah. I came here with Bakugo since I often hang out with him. His mom said that they got an invitation to your party, and she asked me if I wanted to go along with them!" Kirishima smiled that toothy grin, though his personality would be anything but. It seemed Bakugo had returned back to reality as he moved away from the door frame to take off his shoes at the entrance ledge. An ever so passive yet laze look took over his face as he did so, but moved to stand against the door frame of the living room entrance. Though after doing this, he remained silent but had an expectant gaze towards Kirishima, to which he nodded and chuckled all the same. Turning his attention back to the birthday boy, he moved towards him as to properly greet the star of the show as he punched his arm playfully. "But dude, you didn't tell me that you were having a party! I didn't think that you were that kind of guy, y'know? I mean, no offence." Kirishima said before his expression softened into one more of curiosity, though Izuku couldn't really say that he was particularly wrong with that statement as he chuckled in response.

"Oh, heheh, well you aren't exactly wrong on that note. I didn't even remember that it was my birthday, so you can probably thank my mom for that." The emerald eyed boy said with a soft smile as he turned towards where his mother and Mitsuki stood, still seemingly absorbed in their conversation. To the point where they failed to notice that they both still stood at the entrance, but it was enough for Izuku to see her smile once again. She was happy, and that was all he needed.

"That's good to hear... but hey, are you doing alright dude?" Kirishima's voice cut through his trance as he turned back towards the ruby eyed boy who had a concerned look on his face. A common expression that he would portray seeing as he was one of the most compassionate people in their class, not that anybody minded, in fact, it was what made him so well liked. Izuku raised a brow curiously in response.

"Huh? What do you mean?" He asked him, to which Kirishima's expression remained the same but huffed softly in response to Izuku's near indifference to the topic but continued to press onward, pulling out his phone.

"Well you haven't been answering any of our texts, especially from the group chat. I can get that you want your quiet time and all that, and I can respect that... but Uraraka and our class president have been worried y'know?" Kirishima's shoulders hunched forward slightly in what appeared to be regret before slipping his phone back inside his pocket. The same look of concern was still present on his face, especially the small frown and the genuine look of worry in his eyes weighed on him. With a reluctant sigh, Izuku combed his hand through his hair.

"To tell the truth, I suppose I could have been doing better... but I think things are starting to look up, even if it's just a little bit. Iida and Uraraka san have already given me an earful... but I think I'm alright." Izuku said with a soft smile, one that held an acceptable amount of sincerity despite the wear it still held. Kirishima chuckled to himself before shaking his head.

"That's good to hear. Hopefully we can get you back into action once we get back to school. I'm excited to see how much everyone's grown since then, even you Midoriya." He said with a proud thumbs up towards Izuku, who could only agree with a small laugh. "Oh, and before I forget." Kirishima said, with his eyes widening slightly with a small realization before shrugging off his bag and digging through it's contents before Izuku was presented with a box of an All Might figurine. Izuku widened his eyes in surprise as he looked back up to Kirishima, his emerald eyes asking if it were really okay to take it, while he simply just inched it towards him to take, and so he did.

"Maybe you've already got one of these, I know that you're a big All Might fan and all... but I got All Might Sensei's signature for you! uh but... sorry that there's no wrapping. I totally forgot to do that, but hey." Kirishima patted Izuku on his shoulder with a wide grin on his face. "Happy birthday, dude."

Izuku looked back down at his gift. As Kirishima had mentioned, it was a figurine that Izuku had already added to his collection. However, just as he said, it did indeed have a large All Might signature on the cover. But the significance of the gift wasn't particularly that one little detail, it was that someone he could consider a friend had given him it, and with care in choice as well. It was something that he would treasure. It was even more exciting for him to consider that this would be one of many that many of his other classmates had given him beforehand to be put aside for later.

"Thank you, Kirishima kun." Izuku said in a soft voice, though it was one that spoke volumes of gratitude. The redhead smiled, nodding before walking over to Bakugo who had stared intensely at Izuku. Kirishima looked at him for a moment, then Izuku but simply chuckled to himself. Patting Bakugo on his shoulder, he had told him that he would go inside to grab food for him and himself and thus, left, leaving the two alone. Mitsuki and Inko had seemingly left while the Kirishima and Izuku talked.

There was a silence between the two. Izuku was still looking at his gift with an expression of surprise, thought, but most of all, happiness. It wasn't long before the forest haired boy noticed his childhood friend still present in the room as his emerald eyes locked onto him.

"Kacchan?" He said under his breath, genuinely surprised that he was still here.

It was slightly unnerving to Izuku that his friend would remain silent yet kept his harsh gaze trained upon him, yet things such as that would grow natural for him. However, unlike most instances, Bakugo had shown no aura of hostility as it usually would envelop around him. Izuku could only watch as he drew closer, the sandy blond's expression unreadable. At least until they stood right against each other, Bakugo standing still a bit taller than the forest haired boy but remained steadfast and patient as their gazes locked.

"Here." Bakugo said with a huff, pushing a surprisingly pleasantly wrapped box into Izuku's chest. His arms had raised in alarm as he caught the shoved gift but carefully held the mystifying present in his hand as Bakugo looked down on him with those same ruby red eyes but remained silent. Bakugo had shoved his hands in his jacket's pockets as he turned partway to make an exit to the dining room. There was a delicious aroma flooding his nose as his head turned instinctively towards the doorway. He could remember the times where he had visited as a child back when he and Izuku were friends. Inko's cooking was absolutely fantastic, as much as he didn't like saying it out loud. But he had since stopped his visits as their supposed friendship had fallen apart, though the scents seemed to reactivate his memories.

"...Why?" Izuku's soft voice rung out in the empty space of the apartment's entrance, stopping Bakugo in his tracks and breaking him from his thoughts.

A tick mark formed across Bakugo's forehead as he sneered towards the freckled boy, his piercing ruby red eyes sent shivers down Izuku's spine.

"Hmph, what's that supposed to mean Deku? Are you not supposed to give people gifts on their birthday?" He growled, moving back towards Izuku, who had flinched fear as Bakugo's stature had towered over his'.

"A-ah, sorry! I d-didn't mean i-it like tha-" Izuku frantically waved his arms around as to try and justify his reaction as he slowly backed away, however Bakugo's expression plastered onto his face just seemed done with him and scoffed before turning back around, hiding his face from view.

"... Whatever, just take the damn present." He said in a low tone, not even sparing him a glance as he made his way presumably to where Kirishima would be. Izuku had tried to reach his hand out towards him, but found himself falling short. His hand dropped as Bakugo's image had blurred in with the rest, though it only left him to alternate his attention back where his friend had left and the gift placed in his hand.

A small regretful frown took it's place across Izuku's lips as he sighed and shook his head. It seems he had done it again.

Why... why did he say that word?

Out of all the things that were running through his head.

Why? Call it a moment of disbelief or surprise.

He was genuinely surprised that Bakugo would have gotten him anything at all. Ever since they've walked down split paths on the day he would be shunned by those around him, Izuku had seen very little of Bakugo outside of school, but even then, what he would experience would continue to shake him at times. School would soon become the only time that Izuku would see mostly anybody since he would stay shut in within his room more often than going outside, out of fear that he would be harassed by some of the other students. The only occasions where he would dare step outside was when his brother or mother would need him to assist them with some errands or they simply wanted him to go outside for a bit. There were the few rare occasions where Izuku would spot Bakugo somewhere around the premises of usual hangout spots for children and early teens like himself, but he would stay in the shadows and away from sight of those that could potentially recognize him, at least from the popular ones.

Of course, his brother did his best to try and shake off any ill intended glares towards Izuku's way, mostly through passive aggressive methods being the protective kind of brother he was, but he could only do so much, especially after he left for Yuuei. Leaving him all alone.

He wanted to be able to connect with Bakugo once again like they did as children, he really did. He always remembered how he would lead him into those fantastic journeys, even if they were as wild as a child could come up with. He would always walk ahead of him, but now, things were different... but that didn't stop him from wanting what they had before. Rubbing the side of his head in a daze, Izuku proceeded forward to a more secluded section of the noisy living room, a small table stationed right in the corner of the room with presents from his friends and classmates lined across the top of it. A small smile made it's way to Izuku's face as he placed down Kirishima's gift down on the table first, despite the fact that it didn't have any wrapping had made it stick out like a sore thumb. He would reach out to place Bakugo's gift alongside it, but stopped for a moment to fully examine the gift.

It was fully square in shape, not to mention that the wrapping on it seemed pristine and extremely well done. Izuku had marveled at the wrapping, only now noticing the All Might themed wrapping Bakugo had used, allowing a small chuckle to escape Izuku's lips, but he was grateful.

Izuku had also noticed a small envelope attached to the very top of the square present. As curiosity took hold of him, he plucked the card from the wrapped box. The soft snap of sellotape fell near inaudible from the loud environment he stood in. Taking a moment to inspect the card drawn from within the envelope, it appeared to have been one of the store bought ones with a pre-existing message and motif, a plain and simple one at that. However, what surprised him was what was written within the contents of the card. The original message seemingly been replaced with scribbles. Izuku sweat dropped upon seeing that even through the scribbles, the writing most likely been something that would be too friendly for Bakugo's tastes, but it did make sense... a bit. Though the message written underneath appeared to compensate for that.

 _Deku..._

 _You've been quiet lately, y'know that?_

 _It's irritating so see that depressed look on your face, it almost makes me want to punch it off of you_

 _So quit your moping and get back to it dammit_

 _Don't think that I've forgotten our battle back when we first started at Yuuei_

 _I used to think of you as a hindrance in my path Deku_

 _But now, you are an obstacle_

 _You wanted to prove that you'll be able to beat me_

 _So don't you dare think of slacking off_

 _I will beat you_

 _But... happy birthday, Izuku_

"Kacchan..." Izuku whispered as he read the note to it's end. He continued to stand there, his fingers tightly grasped against the card as a wildfire of emotions stormed within his emerald green eyes. Though, a small smile formed across his lips seeing how many times a word would be scribbled out or erased yet still leave marks. Most of which were words were mostly inappropriate cuss words, but that was just who Bakugo was. But he didn't ignore what he wrote last, and it made him... happy.

"Ah, I see you've read his note, kid." A voice called out to him, causing Izuku to flinch and turn quickly towards Mitsuki who had been standing right behind him with a smirk on her face as she leaned over the forest haired boy to glance over her son's handiwork as well.

"A-Aunt B-Bakugo!" Izuku stuttered loudly as he backed away hurriedly. His voice cracked slightly in doing so, causing Mitsuki to laugh in amusement of her friend's son's reaction. A mad blush of embarrassment immediately took hold of Izuku's face as he groaned softly. Of course she would do that to him, she always was a fan of teasing others despite her occasionally menacing and scary qualities.

"Hahaha, it's been too long since I've heard that Izuku." She said, ruffling his hair affectionately like she would when he was still a kid. Izuku laughed nervously in response before shaking his head, though he shared her amusement. Indeed it has been too long since he last saw her.

Mitsuki sighed, her ruby red eyes softening as she retrieved her hand from his curly head, showing a rare warmth and concern. "I'm sorry to hear about what had happened to Iwaizumi. Are you doing okay?" She asked him, placing her hands on her hips causing Izuku to raise his brows in surprise. Taking note of his expression, she smiled sadly before looking towards where Inko stood in the kitchen with her apron on with a happy smile on her face. "Inko told me all about it. You've made her worry quite a lot y'know, though it's just like her, kind almost to a fault." The sandy blond woman shook her head to the side with exasperation, though she did show a small smile while doing so.

Izuku nodded remorsefully, biting his lip as he counted the number of times he made his mother frown in worry or sadness. "I know... I neglected her, thinking about myself even when she was riddled with her own problems as well as mine... I've been a bad son." The forest haired boy winced as those words escaped his lips, his emerald eyes lowering downwards in shame and sorrow. Mitsuki

"Heh, no need to tell me that kid. The one you should be saying that to is somewhere over there." Mitsuki said, hooking her thumb over her shoulder towards where Inko stood, preoccupied at the current moment. Though she lowered it as she looked down at Izuku with sympathy and pity. "But, I know it can't be easy, having someone close to you painted as a criminal... to think that he would be responsible still baffles me to be honest!" Mitsuki folded her arms across her chest as her eyes closed in thought as she shook her head. "He just didn't seem like the kid who would do that..."

Izuku wanted to say something, though a cheery voice had caught the two's attention.

"Deku kun!" The rosy cheeked brunette walked up to the two with a pleasant smile. Turning her head towards Mitsuki, Uraraka stopped before bowing formally in greeting, though Mitsuki only waved her hand as to tell her it was all right. Nodding slowly, she took a moment to look at the woman's face. Sandy blond hair with a beautiful complexion, as well as those oddly familiar fierce red eyes sparking some sort of recognition but still remained curious.

"O-oh, Uraraka san. What is it?" Izuku asked her, slightly put off guard with her sudden presence. Snapping her chocolate brown eyes back towards him, she smiled. "Oh! If you don't mind Deku kun... could I talk with you?" She said, pausing for a moment before leaning in closer towards him. "In private." She added, causing Izuku to blush brightly at her request for reasons that could be commonly understood as he stuttered back.

"O-oh, o-o-okay!"

Mitsuki looked between the two with curiosity, though it wouldn't take long before a mischievous shine would glint within her ruby red eyes as a cheeky grin would make it's way across her face. Especially after noticing how Uraraka had held a hand behind her back, concealing a small wrapped gift from Izuku's view. "Oh? Did you get a girlfriend Izuku? Oh, this'll be so fun to tell Inko!" She teased the boy with a cheeky grin. It would always amuse her to see Inko's son flustered, and this case was no exception. Izuku's eyes had widened to unnatural levels as his face had turned an even brighter red at the suggestion. He was visibly sweating bullets.

"W-w-wha- N-no, w-we aren't- uh." Izuku struggled to get his point across as he was too flustered to get any coherent sentence out. He waved his hands around wildly as to try and deny her accusations, along with shaking his head frantically. Turning his head towards Uraraka, hoping for any kind of support or help. Unfortunately, she also seemed to be in a similar state of surprise and fluster as her already rosy cheeks burned a similar shade of red as his, though she was too stunned to be able to say anything, only able to try and divert her attention and look around while shifting uncomfortably.

It was then that Izuku believed that he would die from embarrassment.

Mitsuki in the meanwhile was dying from laughter, though not wanting to ruin this chance for future developments between the two, she pushed the two along to the balcony. This conclusion being based on the many tv shows she would watch with her husband, her colleagues and friends, as well as Inko in some occasions. There were a storm of possibilities that ran throughout her head, though she was most excited about having to tell Inko about it. No doubt she would have a great reaction if Izuku's one was any indicator. Heck, Mitsuki could even remember how flustered Inko would be around Hisashi. It definitely gave of a similar energy to the newer pair.

The two couldn't do anything to try and struggle against Mitsuki's strength hardened as the mother of Bakugo. They flailed endlessly, but their efforts were in vain. In the end, they had succumbed to her and ended up walking out to the opening with red faces and shared comfort in their discomfort through their timid gazes.

"Have fun you two~" Mitsuki waved them off with a sing song voice before giggling to herself in amusement before placing her hands on her hips triumphantly. The soft patter of steps made their way beside her as the sandy blond woman turned to find Inko, who still wore an apron, looking out through the window at the two curiously before turning to look back at Mitsuki with a concerned expression on her face.

"Um, Mitsuki... what are you doing?" Inko asked. She concerned by her friend's mischievous antics, of course seeing what had transpired between Mitsuki, Izuku and what appeared to be a friend of Izuku's but had remained oblivious of the context. The taller woman wrapped one arm around Inko's shoulders in a playful manner, but had still startled her, letting out a cute squeak.

"Oh, Inko you're here!" Mitsuki proceeded to point towards where Izuku and Uraraka stood, both of them standing at the ledge of the balcony with their backs turned against them. A grin spread across Mitsuki's face as she turned to meet her friend's curious green eyes with her own ruby red ones.

"Look at that, your son's got a girlfriend!"

"W-w-what?!"

* * *

"Man, this view is amazing!" The rosy cheeked brunette exclaimed, taking a step out onto the small but still roomy balcony that was situated just beyond the corner of the living room. She laughed to herself as she ran up to the metal railing set up upon the border of the balcony. Her feet pressing against the cold exposed concrete left under the influence of the night wind, but she didn't mind. She let out a sound of amazement as the brilliant lights of Tokyo were in view from not too far away, however it was the quiet and cool landscape of the area the Midoriya's home resided in that had spoke to her. The soft glow of the moonlight highlighting the ridges and sharp edges of houses and trees.

"You have a really nice place here, deku!" Uraraka said almost giddily as she turned towards the emerald eyed boy who had just joined her on the balcony, scratching his head sheepishly.

"T-thanks..."

The two stood there in silence, side by side for a brief moment, taking the time to observe and appreciate their surroundings. Uraraka had keenly taken to looking around the area with a soft and warm gaze. She had subconsciously refrained from grabbing and leaning over the ledge like she would have done and had left her hands behind her back as she held a wrapped gift within her finger's grasp. Her chocolate brown eyes full of curiosity and liveliness had amused Izuku, though it was her soft smile that made him smile in kind.

"So... what was it that you wanted to talk about, Uraraka san?" Izuku asked the bob cut haired girl, turning towards her. Uraraka blinked and turned towards him curiously before realizing what he had asked.

"O-oh, I almost forgot!" She exclaimed, before presenting the wrapped gift in her hands towards Izuku. He found it cute how she would raise one of her fingers on each hand to refrain from the use of her quirk, knowing that it would not doubt have become a habit. "Here, I want you to have this." Uraraka chimed enthusiastically with pumped fists yet were also presented with a soft smile. Izuku's eyes widened as his gaze switched back and forth between the present in the girl's hand and Uraraka herself. Izuku's cheeks flushed at the kind and warm gesture, but with a smile he gently grasped the gift. Her own hands gently releasing her hold as it's ownership now transferred over to him.

She bounced a little on her feet before clasping her hands behind her back and showing off that radiant smile. "Happy birthday, Deku kun!"

The emerald eyed boy could only stand there without uttering a single word. Though as the firm gaze on her chocolate brown eyes were broken to look back down at the gift, he could feel his eyes tearing up slightly form the newfound meaning it held to him. "Uraraka san..."

By now, seeing Izuku cry in joy was something that the whole of the class would have at least come to experience to the point where it wasn't too surprising anymore. Most cases revolved around All Might giving him praise and such, of which they all knew how much the number one hero inspired him. Though seeing his cheeks flush as he wiped a few strand tears from his eyes as he looked towards the gift she had given to him with such care and appreciation... it had given her a warm feeling from within the confines of her chest. She giggled at his reaction, though she tapped the end closest to her as to gain the forest haired boy's attention. "Hehe, open it!" She encouraged, to which Izuku nodded with a smile ever present on his face and proceeded to do so.

Taking care to unravel the layer of wrapping to reveal it's contents, Izuku was surprised to find a fresh new notebook with an added set of pencils and a rubber, which was All Might themed. Taking a closer look and inspecting the products, he had deduced that they were of good quality and would last him for quite a while. Uraraka had rubbed the back of her head sheepishly as she lowered her head slightly with an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry if it's not much Deku kun. There would be a lot more that I would have wanted to give you... but I suppose my budget isn't the biggest around, heheh." Uraraka sighed, her expression falling for a second as she proceeded to take in a deep breath before looking back up to meet his gaze head on, now with a more confident stare. "But you deserve the best that I can give you... especially since you're one of my best friends." She said with a hopeful look in her eyes. Her fists were clenched tightly, yet she seemed nervous.

That was right, Uraraka did mention earlier in the year how her family had struggled financially. However, that didn't matter to Izuku. To him, she was one of his first friends ever since he had enrolled in Yuuei, not to mention a close one. She would always be there to help him up or even cheer him on at times. Perhaps he may have other gifts waiting for him with their own special tag on it, but perhaps her's was the most important to him.

Without a second thought, he took a step forward to bridge the gap between the two and engulfed Uraraka in a warm embrace, catching her off guard. Despite his display of confidence, Izuku was indeed blushing madly, but had somehow been able to retain the quake of his body.

"No... it's perfect. It may not be an extravagant gift, but that doesn't matter to me. I'm just glad that it's from you." Izuku said with a shaky smile, though thankfully Uraraka was unable to see it due to her head being lightly pressed against his shoulder. Though upon realizing how direct that sounded, his grip faltered awkwardly.

"So uh, t-thank you... f-for being a close friend." He stuttered, blushing even more intensely as he was internally berating himself for messing up. Uraraka had remained laid still against Izuku's contact as she stared down at his shoulder with her own cheeks burning hot. Unable to hold back a smile, she laughed softly and patted his back.

"It's not a problem deku. This year has been fun so far, but I know that it'll only get harder..." She pulled away from him to look him directly, a determined look in her eyes as she held her fists close to her chest as she puffed her cheeks in a pumped up manner.

"So let's cheer each other on, okay?"

Izuku could only smile in response, seeing the ignited determined fire burn within her, yet she still retained her enthusiastic and supportive spirit. That was something he liked about her. Clenching his own fists, not to be outdone in spirit, he nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah!" He said, raising his fist up. Giggling, Uraraka soon mimicked his actions as the two soon burst into a friendly laughter at their antics. Though as they fell quiet, Uraraka looked towards Izuku with a small smile.

"Hey... Do you mind staying here a bit longer?" The request had surprised Izuku, no doubt. But seeing the soft and expectant look in her eyes had made him inclined to stay. With a soft sigh, he smiled towards her and nodded, taking his step to stand right beside her.

"Sure."

Perhaps the road to recovery may not be as long as Izuku had once anticipated. After all, he had all these people here to help him along the way.

* * *

As the two young heroes continued their talk in the outdoors, two lone figures stood perched on top of a nearby building. The shadow of the night obscuring their presence from any other person. However, one appeared to be preoccupied with something on their phone as they tapped away at the object with incredible speed, while the other stayed to watch the two.

With a sigh, the black cloaked figure had placed his phone back within his pockets as he looked towards the other lone presence that accompanied him on the top of the building.

"Hey, you know that we can't afford to be loitering around here for too long; we have to make our preparations for tomorrow." He said, taking off his hood to reveal the messy head of black hair and sharp blue eyes. Mizu cross his arms and walked up to the concrete support slab, which the other had stood on. His cold and calm blue eyes looked down to watch the two, though surprisingly, his gaze softened seeing the smile present on Izuku's face.

"I know, Mizu... it's just..." The figure perched, standing on top of the concrete slab started, but was interrupted by Mizu.

"Yes, I know. It's hard, but you have to move on... I'll be going down, don't take too long." The sapphire eyed boy said, turning around. The other figure nodded with an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry, I'll be with you shortly." They replied. Shaking his head, Mizu just waved his hand.

"... Hmph, whatever... just make it quick. Just know that you can't talk with him, or with anyone else, or else it'll cause a lot of problems." He sternly warned, to which they nodded almost emotionlessly. With a sigh, he made his leave, not seeing any point in continuing the conversation, especially since they had more pressing matters to attend to. His footsteps had echoed on the open space of the rooftop the two stood on.

As he was left alone with the shut of the metal door that lead towards the roof of the building, the figure lowered his hood to his back as his amber eyes stared softly towards his brother. He stayed silent there for a moment, taking in the sight of Uraraka and Izuku talking together. The simple sight had put a small smile on his face as he chuckled. "Looks like someone finally made his move." He teased, but his little comment was left to only be picked up by the wind as no one could laugh, smile or react flustered to his joke.

He hung his head low in defeat as he looked towards Izuku once again with sadness shining brightly from his amber eyes.

"I'm sorry Izuku... for everything. I'm sorry that I left you alone." Izumi said regretfully, biting his lip in shame but shook his head, knowing that it would be futile.

With a small sigh, Izumi's finger glided along the screen of his phone, his thumb gently pressing against the smooth glass for a brief moment of time before his movements stopped upon landing on the send button.

A soft pop only audible to it's sender had arose before the screen turned black.

"Happy birthday... Izuku." He said to no-one but the wind as his hand was charged with strings of electricity, which promptly caused the phone to blow up. As the smoking embers rose from his now charred hand, Izumi could only sigh sadly. He dropped the remains of his phone to the floor before grounding the pieces the the heel of his boot. He didn't want to go, he didn't want to leave all that he had right there, in that little apartment that he shared with his family.

But he continued forward anyways, turning his back to the light that shone from the window of the apartment.

The rooftops would soon return uninhabited with the soft clang of metal. The winds would howl and whistle once again in sadness. It was now cold and empty, like it had always been.

Without a trace of what was left behind.

* * *

 **Author's Notes: *IMPORTANT, PLEASE READ!***

 **Hey guys, sorry it took so long to get this chapter out.**

 **It's been really fun writing parts for Bakugo, Kirishima, Uraraka and even Mitsuki! Though to be fair, her interactions with Inko and Izuku are mostly based on my own ideas rather than any sort of confirmed sources. Though I hope you guys can forgive me if the last section seemed a bit underdeveloped. It isn't meant to be long, but as I'm currently writing it, it's pretty late and I'm tired, but it's something that I felt probably needed to be added in anyways, or else it just wouldn't feel right.**

 **Still though, only now were we able to define some more of the relationships Izuku has... I kind of feel disappointed in myself, but there aren't too many opportunities where these kinds of things can happen naturally.**

 **I feel like I tend to write too much useless dialogue which ends up forking up different paths than I would originally intend. In the end, I would find myself writing and trying to develop something that ends up straying from the actual topic at hand to only be deleted or stored away in my notes somewhere for later use, and it's pretty annoying. This is something that I'm trying to work on since I tend to drift off a lot, so hopefully it will make getting chapters out easier. (trust me, I probably at least cut out 8,000 words from this document) Not to mention that rather lengthy sections will leave me unmotivated to continue it for a while, which is probably my own fault of laziness or being uninspired.**

 **Well, I hope you guys can help me if you think I do this a lot. So please, any helpful criticism will help. I want to be able to hopefully make writing my stories better, and maybe even improving the content.**

 **Getting to the important part of what I want to say. No, I'm not stopping, I don't plan on doing so anytime soon, but I do want to say that I will be putting my other story "Angels and Demons" On hold/hiatus for now, at least after the next chapter comes out, which I'll probably just work on in the meantime. (Sorry to all those waiting for that) Since school has kicked in full gear and it's already been more than 6 weeks (by the time this has come out, it's probably more) since I last posted on this story, I don't want to hold myself back from progressing this fanfiction. At the rate that I'm going at, trying to manage both stories at once, it'd definitely take probably (maybe) another year to finish this. And by that, I mean that I estimate that it'd probably be further into 2020 by the time I feel finished with this since I do have plans for a finale but there are quite a lot of things that stand in between of that.**

 **In fact, I was pretty much halfway/ a third done with the new chapter of the other story but found myself stressed with the schoolwork since it's my final year at high school. It's not a decision that I take lightly putting a story on hiatus, but seeing as more people follow this story than my other one, I feel as if Blood Brothers requires more of my attention for the time being. Again, I'm reminded of how much effort I actually need to put into these stories as I easily get myself distracted and end up only having an hour left of my time before I should go to sleep or if I find myself unmotivated or under the weather. I want to be able to make this story enjoyable for you guys, but since my writing style has grown so much, I find myself having to high expectations to finish so much in one chapter.**

 **But, I can't go back now, this is simply how I write. All I can do now is try to manage how I'll be able to get my chapters out to you guys faster.**

 **Once again, I'm sorry for all those who follow my other story, I'll probably put in a notice for that soon once I get that chapter done.**

 **Honestly, deadlines and my workload had been a lot bigger than I had expected. Most of my free time has to be dedicated to finishing said homework, spent sleeping because I find myself staying up late to finish said homework, or trying to write this, but feel tired or have little to no motivation to continue. (if any of you are wondering what would require most of my time, it's painting. But it isn't really important, and I'd probably waste your guys time trying to complain about it, so all I can do is try to shoulder it and carry on.)**

 **But now, I've finished everything and am free to work on my stories since it's the holidays! (even then, I'd expect one or two chapters out at best, but we'll see.)**

 **On another note,** **I think I'll probably expand the situation with Inko some point later in the story, but perhaps now isn't the best time. But never fear!**

 **Well anyways, the next chapter will be progressing things forward and moving on to something more original, involving class 3-A. Hopefully we'll be able to have a little action in it. (don't worry, I've learned from the last fight scene I tried to portray. Hopefully it won't be quite as long and tedious.**

 **Now, I sleep. I'm tired and need my 8 hours or more before I get started on the next chapter...**

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **Ignis**


	25. I'm sorry

I'm sorry

It's been quite a while since I last updated, huh?

Well, actually, I've nearly finished the chapter that was supposed to be here, but unfortunately it's not.

To put it simply, I'm putting down this story for a while.

Yeah I know... It's probably selfish of me to stop here now after the whole year I had spend working on this story. It's been fun, but I think I've run out of steam, at least for My/Boku no hero academia.

I've been holding off making this for a while, mostly because I really wanted to make sure that I was doing the right thing if I were to drop this story.

Don't worry, it's not a matter of school, but that isn't to say that it doesn't contribute towards my levels of stress. School has been alright so far, but there is less and less time that I have that I can spend effectively working on my stories, if not for my utter lack of enthusiasm or motivation to do so either. Besides, at the current stage, I feel as if my interests in BNHA are rapidly declining. Probably due to the anime being released in October or how I don't keep up with the manga as much as I used to.

In fact, I've been growing interest in Persona and a bit of fire emblem (but mostly persona)

I think I might want to take a bit of time doing work on my other FE story since I have more ideas for it. Besides, my plot for BNHA is shaky at best, at least in details and the timeline is complex. It probably wasn't the best idea to try and make a story on a still growing and currently ongoing series. It's probably why it's a lot easier to think up of new ideas for fan fiction about finished stories I suppose.

Perhaps it's due to my realization of the limitations that come with the Hero academia world. Mostly in terms of freedom of combat oriented consequences. Death is something that isn't meant to happen often in that world, where as other games or series that currently hold my interest allow for a more flexible field, but still have some effect in their own right, but BNHA makes that rule much more stricter.

I can't particularly explain why I feel so unmotivated to write anything regarding my story, or BNHA if I try.

At this point of the story, it's gotten to a point where I know that it'll make a drastic turn from what I used to enjoy writing, but it's difficult knowing that the point where I could return enjoying writing scenes wholeheartedly will be far away. Perhaps it's cowardice, but I know that it's my inexperience that holds me back from writing what I want and how I want. At least, I held back from releasing the next chapter because the point where my story is at right now is somewhat of a better place to end on a haitus for now than just releasing a chapter that will definitely stir a lot of questions (plot wise of course) but I would feel even worse if I couldn't answer your questions of the story in the form of more content. I didn't want to release a chapter that was finished half-assedly, it just wouldn't be right of me to do so. You guys only deserve the best of what I can produce, at least, that's what I believe (even if some chapters may come off worse than others).

To be honest, I think it's mostly because of my interests of stories that causes large impacts on a world or at least to me. But a narrative always has a start and an end. Maybe I just bit off more than I could chew when I attempted to write this story, and would end up inevitably falling into this pit. There are too many elements that I can account for, and there are indefinite details that make me scared to try and pursue, knowing that it would probably flat out be proven wrong. It isn't like there are a whole lot of possibilities that could I realize within this story than in my other one, plus I suppose I like the plot of the other series better currently than BNHA despite it having it's good moments, it just doesn't hit too much at home with me. (Not to say that it's story is bad or anything, in which it's actually really good and would probably list really high in my list of plot if it weren't for my general bias towards liking fantasy and tales of struggle like Persona and fire emblem.

But that's just my opinion.

I wanted to write this because the constant pressure of knowing that some of you may look forward to my updates leave me with a sense of guilt (even if it sounds a bit egotistical or something, it's true. I hope you guys don't take it the wrong way and think that I believe that my stories are the best things ever, to which they really aren't.) Perhaps publishing this note will lift a weight from my shoulders, but I didn't want to leave you guys with nothing if this story was to just drop dead without anybody knowing why... so here it is.

I feel tired. I just can't keep up...

Maybe what I said doesn't make sense. Maybe it does. Maybe some of you didn't bother to read most of those hunky paragraphs... don't worry, I don't blame you if you did.

I'm disappointed myself for doing this, but I think it's the best the best thing for me if I want to maintain a healthy lifestyle. There's no need to try and talk about how I feel about other matters. I'd probably just bore you all to death. I just feel empty... but don't worry, I'm fine.

Anyways, I'm sorry again for doing this.

Maybe there will be a time where my interests pique again and I might be able to continue this, but I don't think it's going to happen anytime soon.

Thanks again as always for reading my works.

Ignis


End file.
